By the Fire of the Sun
by Eclipse of the Sun
Summary: The smallest falter may cause the ultimate fall. Shadow, ice, and fang will come together and form a darkness that can be penetrated only by the fire of the sun. Epilogue is UP. COMPLETE.
1. Chapter 1

1**A/N:** I am aware that there is another story featuring a Sunkit. My story is completely disconnected from that one. I began writing this before I knew that a story already featured a Sunkit. So...any resemblance between my Sunkit and the other one is entirely coincidental. And, obviously, any plot resemblance is coincidental.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the Warriors. I do, however, own the characters in this fanfiction.

**Summary:** A new prophecy has risen in the forest. On the day a half-blooded kit is born, StarClan makes the proclamation; are the birth of the kit and the prophecy connected? As she grows, Sunkit finds she holds abilities beyond those of the ordinary...

Sunkit.

That was what her mother had named her. Her pelt shone golden-red, flaming as the sun as it descended in time for twilight. Many of the cats of ThunderClan commented that Sunkit, even as a youngster, looked like the great Firestar when he lived. Even her eyes, a deep, shimmering emerald-green, mirrored those of the cat whose name was passed down generation to generation.

But Sunkit was not given the honor that Firestar received in his lifetime. Rather, for much of her early life, she was shunned. In that way she was also like Firestar; many of the other cats were prejudiced against her. But Sunkit was no kittypet; no, she was half ThunderClan.

And that was why they shunned her.

Her mother was Roseleaf, a small tortoiseshell queen who had been born in ThunderClan. Roseleaf was a skilled warrior before she moved into the nursery, and she was known among the other Clans for her efficiency in battle. Despite her small size, Roseleaf possessed strength enough to bowl over a warrior half again her size with a blow from one forepaw. She was well-liked in her Clan, and had rigidly followed the warrior code from kithood.

Until she took a mate outside the Clan.

All ThunderClan knew about the tom who had fathered Sunkit was that he was a long-bodied, thin gray tom. A loner. Why a loner had chosen to father a kit he would most likely never set eyes upon was unknown to ThunderClan. He kept hold over a swath of territory a little beyond the borders of the Clan's new home, the home beyond the mountains. He had been present when Roseleaf gave birth to her single kit, because the queen had crept out of the nursery, across ThunderClan territory, and to the edge of the Clan's border. Snowwind, a long-haired white queen also in the nursery, had been first to notice the absence of Roseleaf. When the patrol found the she-cat, she was on the very edge of Clan territory, a thin gray stranger by her side, a red-golden kit nestled to her belly fur.

The loner had fled before the patrol could chase him off, licking Roseleaf on her cheek and whispering in her ear before he turned tail and ran. Then Roseleaf picked her kit up by its scruff, and, holding her head high, led the three-cat patrol back to the camp. Her amber glare had dared them to even mew, and so they followed after her in silence.

Once in camp, all had been explained to Lightningstar by Roseleaf. The kit was permitted to stay, as was Roseleaf, but Lightningstar could not tell the Clan how to feel about either of them.

The kit had been born at sundown, the time when the sky was painted in fiery reds and blazing golds.

;-;-;-;

On the night following the birth and naming of Sunkit, a dark gray tabby tom lay curled in his nest. The tabby was Treeshadow, ThunderClan's medicine cat. His orange eyes were shut tight in sleep. He dreamt of running through the forest, racing with the fleet wind. Ferns danced as his body hit them-a body with as much muscle as any warrior. Flecks of moss flew behind him as his claws, extended for better grip, ripped through the thick patches. He slowed his pace, twisting his neck up to see through the leafy oak boughs. Stars glimmered in the sky.

The dream changed. He stood alone, in a vast cavern that yawned on and on with unending blackness. Fierce, biting winds pummeled him from all sides. He was aware of the presence of the StarClan warriors standing around him, and slowly they became visible. Visible, but still translucent. Ears pricked, Treeshadow leaned forward to listen as they whispered to him.

His fur bristled with unease. "What do you mean?" he hissed to his ancestors. "Do you speak of the kit?"

But his ancestors would not answer. They pushed him with their noses, urging him back to the living world.

Treeshadow jerked his head up. He clambered out of his den, which was made from a fallen tree's thick, entwined branches forming a hollow. He shook scraps of grass from his coat and glanced skyward. It was past moonhigh. Should he wake Lightningstar now, or wait until dawn to tell him what StarClan spoke of? Unease pricked his fur, and he made the decision to wake his leader now.

Padding across the camp, a wide circle of sweet grass surrounded by towering oaks. He paused at the entrance to Lightningstar's den, which was a sheltered space created by overhanging, thickly twined branches of a weeping willow tree that grew alongside the stream. The stream murmured with its recent release from the leaf-bare ice.

"Lightningstar," he hissed, poking his head through the long branches.

At once, a head lifted from a nest. Eyes glowed unearthly green in the moonlight that fell through the branches. "Yes, Treeshadow? I hope this is important."

Treeshadow nodded. "Yes, Lightningstar. Quite." He padded under the willow. "StarClan spoke to me."

Lightningstar's ears pricked. "What did they say?"

"A prophecy." Treeshadow swallowed. It had been a long time since a prophecy had risen in the forest. "They told me, 'Shadow, ice, and fang will come together and form a darkness that can be penetrated only by the fire of the sun.'"

Lightningstar frowned, and his black-and-white coat rippled as he sat up. "By 'fire of the sun', do you think they mean Roseleaf's kit? You heard what she named her."

The gray tabby shrugged. "StarClan did not explain it to me," he mewed. "I will go to the Silverstone at the quarter moon. Perhaps then they will elaborate."

As the two friends sat in silence, wondering, a flaming comet blazed overhead, and StarClan watched a newborn kit, golden-red in color, as it slept, nestled against its mother's belly.

StarClan watched.

;-;-;-;

_And the stars shining through the darkness,_

_Falling in the air._

-Enya, _Fallen Embers_


	2. Chapter 2

1**A/N**: Thank you, **shnitzenhimer**, for your review. Made me nice and happy! On a side note, I kind of rushed through things in this chapter. I want to get on to the good stuff, so, true to my nature, I mashed all preceding storyline into one chapter. Onward!

**Disclaimer:** Sure, I own the Warriors. In the same fantasy world where I have a pet dragon and keep live faeries in my garden.

**Chapter Two**

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Hightree for a Clan meeting!"

Lightningstar's deep yowl sounded throughout the camp. He stood on the immense fallen tree trunk, which was wedged in the fork of another tree. Near its base, the tree was scorched and blackened, looking as if lightning had struck it long ago and caused its fall. Not too far from the Hightree was the weeping willow that Lightningstar made his den under.

Cats poured from the shadows of the camp like liquids. Lithe bodies slipped out from under trees, hollowed-out logs, and bramble thickets. The setting sun cast a rosy glow around the gathering felines.

Sunkit, sitting in the nursery with her denmates, flicked her tail impatiently. Though this was not her naming ceremony, she was eager for the departure of two other kits. They were six moons today, and would shortly be receiving their mentors and joining the apprentices.

Shadowkit, a tom with short, black fur, was prejudiced against her. His mother had told him and his sister, Nightkit, that Sunkit was a traitorous, half-blooded cat. True, the half-blooded part was correct, but how could a kit, barely five moons, be a traitor? Sunkit hated it. While Nightkit, who was also black but long-haired, did not taunt her the way her brother did, she simply pretended Sunkit did not exist. To Sunkit, that was just as bad.

"We gather here this sundown," Lightningstar continued, once the Clan had assembled, "for the naming of two apprentices. Come forward," he called to them, flicking his tail.

Nightkit trotted forward eagerly, while Shadowkit followed slowly. With his head high, tail carried in a loose curve, and careful, deliberate steps, he looked almost arrogant as he walked towards the Hightree. Just this made Sunkit unsheathe her claws; everything about him infuriated her. Roseleaf saw this and nudged her daughter warningly.

"From this moment on," the back-and-white tom continued, "until they have earned their warrior names, these apprentices will be known as Nightpaw and Shadowpaw. Nightpaw, your mentor will be Waterdrip." The pale silver tabby she-cat walked up, touching noses with her first apprentice. "Shadowpaw," Lightningstar went on as warrior and apprentice walked to the side of he crowd, "you are to be mentored by Hawkclaw." Sunkit spun around, looking for the warrior just named. Hawkclaw was one of the forests' most powerful warriors. She spotted his dark, mottled, red-brown pelt as he rose and stalked through the assembled cats. As he too touched noses with his apprentice, Sunkit sighed as Lightningstar drew the meeting to an end.

"Mother," she said, twisting her neck up to look at Roseleaf, "when can we be apprentices?"

"In about a moon," answered the tortoiseshell, licking her kit behind the ears.

"C'mon, Sunkit," chirped Icekit, butting her with his head, "aren't you glad to be rid of Shadowpaw and Nightpaw? Even if it's only for a little while?" Icekit was one of Snowwind's litter. His pelt was neither long nor short, but somewhere in between. Like his mother, his coat was white, but Icekit's fur was tipped with silver so he shimmered like the frozen water he was named for. His eyes were deepest blue, like the sky at midnight.

"I never liked them much," murmured Rainkit. She was Icekit's sister. Her pelt was short and white, but her long tail was dark gray. Pale blue eyes shone in the gathering darkness. "Shadowpaw was mean and Nightpaw stayed away from us."

"Children!" Snowwind cuffed her son and daughter. "I know you don't much care for them, but be polite."

Brother and sister grumbled agreement. Sometimes Sunkit wondered what it was like to have a sibling. Icekit and Rainkit were her friends, but there was a closer bond the two of them shared. And they knew their father. A few moons ago, she had asked Roseleaf why her father was never in camp.

"_Your father can't be here, Sunkit."_

"_But why not? Is he on a journey?"_

"_No. He just...can't be here. He's not a Clan cat."_

"_If he's not a Clan cat, then what is he?"_

"_Your father is a loner. Do you know what that means? It means he lives by himself. He belongs to no Clan_."

"_So can we go see him? He must be lonely."_

"_The Clan don't want you to see him."_

"_But why? Is he bad?"_

_Roseleaf sighed. "They think he is."_

Sunkit had learned, without her mother telling her, that the Clan believed she could never be loyal. She was just a half-blood. She couldn't understand the ties of loyalty to a Clan. She would turn and leave if times became too hard for her to cope. This they believed.

_They just don't understand me._

;-;-;-;

_One moon later..._

Sunkit bounced around her mother's feet. Energy was pent up inside her, due to the rain that had fallen for three straight days and kept her in the nursery. Sunkit, Icekit, and Rainkit would be apprenticed that sundown, finally joining the other four apprentices. Excitement ran through their veins, even if it meant again sharing a den with Shadowpaw.

Sunkit drew a deep breath, enjoying the fresh newleaf air. Bright sunlight burst through the trees, warming her pelt and the sweetgrass beneath her paws. Scents of new earth and sweet buds on branch tips filled her nose. The golden-red kit gave herself a shake, reveling in the warm air.

"Sunkit, settle," Roseleaf scolded gently. The tortoiseshell queen had taken her kit to see the elders, but after two of the three had fallen asleep in the warm morning, she'd decided to take her kit elsewhere. "Look," the queen continued, "there's Icekit and Rainkit, why don't you go-?"

Sunkit was off before she could finish. Her legs, which were long even for her young age, carried her quickly across the camp. In one fluid motion, she sprang into the air and landed on Icekit's back. The white-silver tom yowled in surprise, twisting around to shake the weight off himself. Sunkit hopped lightly off her friend's back and took several steps sideways, her green eyes gleaming with fun.

"Come on, Icekit," she said, flicking her tail around, "why won't you play?"

"I play!" he said defiantly, meeting her gaze. "I just don't like it when you pounce on me like that!" He licked his paw and drew it over his ear.

"Sorry," Sunkit muttered. "I'm just excited." She looked at Rainkit who, as usual, sat quietly and shyly. "Are you sure your brother's a cat? Only he seems to think pouncing is unusual."

Icekit narrowed his midnight eyes and, wriggling his rump to find his balance, sprang at Sunkit. She dropped to the ground, causing the white-silver tom to fly over her head. Getting up, she shook the dust from her golden-red pelt as Icekit landed and turned around the heartbeat his paws hit the ground. Rainkit, never one to miss out on a game, trotted over, but before the three could continue play, a caterwaul sounded from outside the camp.

Cats' heads turned instinctively towards the noise, their eyes huge, their tails fluffing out. Two of the elders poked their heads out around the dense holly bush where they slept. Treeshadow, his tabby pelt bristling, hurried out of his den.

A black tom emerged from the thick overgrowth that bordered the camp. It was Darkcloud, one of ThunderClan's senior warriors. Sunkit felt a chill run through her, despite the warm air. Another body hung from his strong jaws, its tail and hind legs hanging limp and trailing on the ground. He lowered his head, placing the body on the ground at his feet. As the Clan crowded around him, their voices high-pitched and questioning, he raised his head. Sunkit felt the ground lurch beneath her paws as he cried out, "Ashfur is dead!"

She slowly turned her head to look at Icekit and Rainkit. Ashfur was their father. They both stood stock-still, their eyes fixed on the unmoving bundle of dark gray fur that lay before Darkcloud. Snowwind let out a low wail that made the fur on Sunkit's neck stand up. The long-haired white queen shouldered her way through the crowd to where her dead mate lay. Icekit and Rainkit followed, their heads low and tails drooping. She became aware of Darkcloud speaking.

"I was coming back from patrol with Lightningstar," he said, his voice dull. "We scented blood. His body lay under the Owl Tree."

"Where is Lightningstar now?" called Mudspeckle, the Clan's deputy.

"The reek of fox was all over the area. Lightningstar is scanning for any trace of where it might have its den so we know where to avoid," answered Darkcloud. Sunkit shivered. She had heard the elders and her mother speak of foxes: creatures larger than cats, with a long, pointed muzzle, black legs, red body, and a bushy tail. Sorrelflower, a tortoiseshell elder, had told her that foxes had teeth as long as a kit's body. Looking at the bloody gashes on Ashfur's throat, Sunkit could believe it.

Lightningstar emerged from the brush then. Twigs were caught in his pelt, and Sunkit could see a reddish smear on his nose; he must have gotten that from sniffing Ashfur's pelt. His loud yowl commanded attention, and all the Clan turned their attention to him. "The fox scent vanished at the far western edge of our territory," he said. "I was...unwilling to follow it any further. For now, it has left." Sunkit felt relieved. Her leader continued: "We will hold the burial at dawn tomorrow. Darkcloud, move Ashfur to the center of the camp."

The black warrior did as he was told, his amber eyes fixed on the ground. Snowwind and her kits followed slowly. Sunkit felt her mother draw her to her side with her tail. Walking close to Roseleaf's legs, Sunkit's belly twisted as she took in Ashfur's torn throat. She had not known the gray tom well, but the fact that he was the father of her two best friends made his death painful.

"Will they be alright?" she asked her mother, flicking her tail to indicate Icekit and Rainkit.

"Of course they will," said Roseleaf, but the cheeriness in her tone was dampened by sadness. "Just don't mention it to them. That makes the pain worse." Sunkit nodded.

Later, Icekit and Rainkit joined her as she lay outside the nursery. They lay down on either side of her. The white-silver tom rested his chin on his paws and stared at nothing. Rainkit tucked her small paws under her belly with her head bent. Sunkit wrapped her tail around Icekit and pressed her cheek to Rainkit's, not knowing what else to do.

She could feel their pain seeping through her fur, an invisible rain that chilled her and made the sun grow dimmer.

;-;-;-;

The next morning dawned damp and chilly, the pleasant warmth of the previous day chased away by thick rain clouds. Sunkit stirred, and slowly pushed herself to a standing position. Arching her back, she remembered with a thrill what today was: her apprentice naming ceremony. She looked over at Icekit and Rainkit, only to find them still deep in sleep. Snowwind had her tail curled protectively around both of them. Sunkit noticed the white queen twitching and mewling in her sleep. She wondered if she dreamed of fighting the fox that had slain her mate.

Ashfur would be buried by Lightningstar, the elders, and Snowwind once the sun broke the horizon a little more. Kits did not attend burials. Rainkit had stayed with Sunkit outside the nursery once she had said her farewells to her father; Icekit had gone inside and had not come out for the remainder of the day. Sunkit had been told by Roseleaf to let him be.

"If Icekit needs to mourn alone, let him," Roseleaf told her daughter. "If he wants to be with you or his sister, he will come to you."

Sunkit knew he would. She knew her two best friends' personalities. Rainkit needed to be with a friend, so she had stayed with Sunkit. Icekit wanted to be alone, so she would not go to him. If he needed any cat, he would go to them.

Movement caught Sunkit's eye. Icekit lifted his head groggily. His eyes, gummed with sleep, were clouded for a few seconds before he blinked and intelligence flooded into them. Slowly, as though he were in physical pain, he stood and stretched each leg in turn. His movements woke his sister, who rolled onto her belly and pushed herself up.

Sunkit trotted over to them. "Ready for the ceremony?" she asked. Both nodded, knowing she was creating an excuse to distract from yesterday's events and feeling grateful for it. Rainkit prodded her mother awake. Snowwind uncurled and, touching her nose to each of her kits, walked out of the sheltered area and into the camp.

The patrol for Ashfur's burial left soon after. No one spoke. The silence said all that needed to be said.

;-;-;-;

That evening, Sunkit could barely sit still. She wondered who her mentor would be; obviously, a warrior who did not think she would betray the Clan because of her heritage. She, Icekit, and Rainkit had held a long discussion over possibilities for each of them.

"It's time!" hissed Icekit, seeing Lightningstar leap onto the Hightree. Sunkit had gotten her friends to play a little during the day, and their spirits had lightened considerably. The weather was better, too. By sunhigh, the clouds had dispersed, though the slight chill lingered. The three apprentices-to-be waited with their mothers a little ways off from the crowd as Lightningstar called the familiar summons.

"Come forward," he then called to them, beckoning with his tail. Sunkit trotted forward, tail in the air. Rainkit and Icekit followed more slowly, but excitement glimmered in each pair of blue eyes.

"From this moment on, until they have earned their warrior names," Lightningstar went on, "these apprentices are to be known as Sunpaw, Icepaw, and Rainpaw.

"Sparrowbeak," he continued, "you will be mentor to Rainpaw." The she-cat, her fur streaked brown and white and with a long, pointed muzzle, rose from the crowd. Her amber eyes were gentle as she touched noses with the white apprentice. They turned as one and went to the back of the gathered cats.

"Jaywing," Lightningstar went on, "you will be mentor to Icepaw." The eyes of both remaining apprentices widened. Jaywing was known throughout all the Clans for his unmatchable skill in combat. His short blue-gray coat gleamed in the setting sun as he touched noses with Icepaw. Sunpaw felt a prickle of both envy and excitement; her friend would be trained by the best fighter in the whole forest!

But this left her feeling terribly alone in front of the Hightree. Her pelt and the sun shone in identical colors, and the trees seemed to be waiting for Lightningstar to announce the mentor for the final apprentice.

Sunpaw felt a lick of anger as she noticed about half the Clan now looked uninterested. They considered her unworthy of their attention as she took the first step to becoming a warrior? She noticed Shadowpaw yawn openly, and his dark orange eyes glinted malevolently at her. Flame rose inside her, but she pushed it down. One day, she would prove she was a cat as skilled and loyal as they. Lightningstar's voice brought her back to the moment.

"And Sunpaw," the black-and-white tom said, his brilliant eyes glinting in the dimming light, "_I_ will be your mentor."

;-;-;-;

_What we anticipate seldom occurs; what we least expect generally happens._

–_Anonymous_


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N**: Thanks muchly for your reviews, **Flameclaw** and **Rin-Tin-Tin**! Oh yeah, I realize the Lightningstar-mentoring-Sunpaw is basically Bluestar-Firepaw, but hey, I have my reasons. This chapter is mostly information leading up to the "good stuff". I'll probably come back later and change some stuff around.

**Disclaimer**: No ownage.

**Chapter Three**

Sunpaw woke early, early enough that the dawn patrol had yet to leave. Uncurling and rising from her nest, she picked her way around the other six apprentices. Padding soundlessly out into the gray morning, she stretched her forepaws out in front of her and settled into the cool grass.

She had not been granted much welcome last night when she, Icepaw, and Rainpaw went to the hollowed-out log that served as the apprentice's den. Shadowpaw had curled his lip, revealing his teeth, and told her that any and all half-blood filth was to stay away from him. Nightpaw had said nothing, but curled up silently into her own nest of moss and heather. Badgerpaw, a tom three moons older than she and nearly a warrior, had snarled at her in a way very reminiscent of his namesake.

This was routine. Sunpaw was used to it by now. If her Clanmates wanted to spit and snarl at her, they could spit and snarl to their heart's content. Having endured it for some moons now, Sunpaw had gotten used to the taunts and insults that were thrown constantly her way; at first, they stung like thorns. Now they were empty to her.

_When my loyalties are proven..._

"Sunpaw?"

She jumped as a deep mew broke her thoughts. It was Lightningstar, his bright yellow eyes shining in the almost-light. She hadn't heard him approach. His coat, white with black patches on his back, flanks, face, and tail, rippled as he sat down beside her. Remembering etiquette, she dipped her head to him in the proper acknowledgment of apprentice to Clan leader. He gave his head a slight dip in return and continued speaking.

"Clear morning. Good day to show you and your friends the forest."

"Will we see the sun-drown-place?" she asked eagerly. Though she had never been, she had heard others speak about it: a great, shining expanse of water that was never still, but continuously churning up waves; the wide stretch of near-white sand which the water lapped at; how, every evening, the water swallowed up the sun in a great flash of flame.

"Yes, you will," he answered. His tone serious, he continued: "You all must be extremely careful there. It is far easier than you would think to slip off the cliffs and fall into the water. I don't mean to scare you, but-"

"I'm not scared!" she said forcefully. Then, realizing she had interrupted the cat who was both Clan leader and her mentor, she dipped her head nearly to the ground and said quickly, "I'm sorry, Lightningstar, I didn't mean to-"

"Don't worry. I won't bite you," he said, amusement in his voice. "You are a she-cat who wants to prove herself. And I believe you when you say you are not scared." He paused. "Still, I cannot stress the importance of being careful around the cliffs enough. I realize I must sound like your mother cautioning you against something, but I don't want to see you hurt."

"I'll watch my footing," Sunpaw promised. After a moment, she said, "Does that mean we won't go down to the sand?"

"It is easy enough to jump down the rocks to the sand below," Lightningstar said, "but climbing back up is another matter. These rocks have been blown smooth by the wind and washed smoother by the waves. Getting a grip is immensely difficult, and the only moss grows along the very bottom, where the constant water nourishes it."

Sunpaw nodded, but felt disappointed. All that wide open space, where a cat could run forever, meeting no barriers that would block their way...

Badgerpaw emerged from the den then, his coat glinting slightly in the brightening light. The fur along his flanks was mottled pale gray. His face was black, with a wide white stripe running from his nose all up his forehead. His chest was snowy white. The reasoning for his name was no mystery; he looked like his namesake in every aspect, with the exception of longer legs and a little more grace. Only a little. Given his lumbering stalk, Sunpaw thought it a miracle that he managed to catch anything.

"Lightningstar," said the apprentice by way of acknowledgment, dipping his head to the Clan leader. He made no sign that he saw Sunpaw. She narrowed her emerald eyes, but otherwise did not react to his apparent non-notice of her. Lightningstar noticed too; Sunpaw saw his ears flick as he stared at the badger-pelted apprentice.

"Go and eat," Lightningstar said to her. "And wake your friends," he added as he padded towards Treeshadow's den. Sunpaw sat up, shook her coat, and turned around towards the den.

Reaching her paw inside, she prodded Icepaw. "Up," she hissed in his ear. He lifted his head, blinked blearily, then stood. Rainpaw was already stretching. As she turned, Sunpaw cast a glance at Shadowpaw andNightpaw, then continued walking out of the den. Lightningstar had told her to wake her _friends_; he had not said anything about those who were not that.

As she, Rainpaw, and Icepaw sat together sharing a rabbit, Icepaw asked, "What are we doing today?"

Sunpaw swallowed. "We're being showed the forest," she said, swiping her tongue around her lips.

Rainpaw perked up. "Will we go to the sun-drown-place?" she mumbled around her mouthful.

Sunpaw nodded. "I feel it is my duty to warn you to be careful around the cliffs. Vitally important." They gave her don't-you-think-we-know-that? looks. She shrugged. "Hey, I'm just relaying the message. Don't claw the messenger." Twisting around, she began to groom herself.

The dawn patrol left soon after. Icepaw and Rainpaw, ever the patient ones, sat quietly as they waited for Jaywing, Sparrowbeak and Lightningstar. Sunpaw paced in wide circles around the pair, her tail swishing in the air, her mind wandering.

"Conserve your energy," said Lightningstar. "We've got a lot of ground to cover." Sparrowbeak and Jaywing stood beside him. All three apprentices touched noses with their mentors. "Come," Lightningstar continued, beckoning with his tail.

"You know Cloverhill already," Jaywing said in his deep, slightly grainy voice as the procession of cats left the camp and climbed up the gently sloping hill. Thick clover grew on all sides of it and around the bottom, making it a safe place for queens to take their kits to play outside of the camp. "If we go east," he added, flicking his tail right, "we'll be at the Star Lake."

"Why is it called that?" Rainpaw asked.

"When Silverpelt shines at night," said Lightningstar, "the stars are reflected in the lake's waters. RiverClan hold territory on the other side of the Star Lake," he continued. "ShadowClan territory begins on the far western side of RiverClan land. WindClan keeps watch over territory just northeast of our own."

"Who owns the sun-drown-place?" asked Sunpaw.

"Part of our territory extends to some of the cliffs," answered Sparrowbeak. "But the other Clans must pass through there to reach the Silverstone."

"Will we ever go to the Silverstone?" questioned Icepaw.

Lightningstar nodded. "All apprentices must make the journey there before becoming warriors.

"Come,"he continued."We have a long way to go today."

;-;-;-;

"Holy StarClan!"

Sunpaw stood near the edge of the cliff, looking across the waters of the sun-drown-place. Rushes of waves rose and fell both far in the distance and right near the shoreline. The sun, which hung in the clear blue sky, turned the water a captivating green-blue. Her jaw agape, Sunpaw scanned the area. It was so _big_. No, she thought, wrong word. _Continuous_. Yes. It went on forever, it seemed.

Salt was laced in the breeze that blew from the sea. Sunpaw tilted her head to watch a bird on the sand far below. It had a slate-gray back, a black tail, and a white head. It looked to be a little larger than a crow.

Icepaw and Rainpaw stood beside her. Rainpaw had her gaze trained on the rocks below, and Sunpaw guessed she was thinking about the huge drop from the clifftop. Icepaw kept his eyes on the sea, which roared and crashed unendingly.

"Watch your footing," said Jaywing. "Sometimes the wind gets so strong up here it topples the most sturdy-legged warriors."

"Don't go scaring them," said Sparrowbeak.

"I'm not," he replied calmly. "I just think they should be prepared in case a good gust whips by."

"What's that bird down there?" asked Sunpaw, still watching the creature as it walked along the lapping water, bobbing its head as it did so.

Lightningstar craned his neck to look at it. "Seagull," he answered her. "They sit in the water, sometimes, and often you'll see them carrying fish from far out to eat."

"There's fish in the water?" asked Icepaw. "I though fish only lived in fresh water."

"These fish can tolerate the salt," his mentor answered. "But they swim so far out it is impossible for cats to get them."

The six cats sat in silence. Sunpaw took a great breath of the salty air. She liked it here. The sun above warmed the rock beneath her paws, warmth which she had never felt, having been born at the start of leaf-fall.

A flicker of movement caught her eye. She looked, but nothing besides wind-blown shrubs and smooth rock met her gaze. Then she saw it again. The faintest flash of something. Narrowing her eyes, she could make out a faintshadow. Gradually, the shadow took shape, and became the palest outline of a cat. Sunpaw's heart pounded as she stared at it, a thing which she had never heard tell of: a cat so pale the rock was visible through it.

Yet she felt no fear when she looked at it.

The cat outline wavered for a moment, then seemed to grow more solid, somehow. It was a gray cat, Sunpaw could tell that much, and it had bright blue eyes. Then it began to move. Its paws did not touch the ground, but glided just over it. When theshadow-cat moved, it had a strange, lurching gait. Sunpaw watched it, unable to avert her eyes from it. The figure stopped at a spot in the cliff, then turned around to look at Sunpaw. When theshadow-cat met her eyes, Sunpaw heard a faint whispering. Murmuring, muffled voices, calling to her, it was unclear, she could not make it out-

"Sunpaw!"

She jerked her head around, smacking her nose into Icepaw's. They both squealed; Sunpaw, rubbing her watering eyes with a forepaw, said, "What?"

Rainpaw, standing behind her brother, mewed, "We were telling you to come on. You didn't move or anything."

"Are you feeling alright?" asked Lightningstar.

Sunpaw wondered about that for a moment. She had stopped hearing the whispers, and didn't feel lightheaded. "Y-yes," she stammered. "I-I just thought I saw...something."

All five cats had their eyes narrowed, heads cocked, and their tails were flicking. Sunpaw could tell they either weren't satisfied with her answer or didn't believe her. She was grateful when none of them pressed her, however, and Lightningstar led the group back into the woods. Pausing for a moment, she glanced back over her shoulder. The cat figure still stood, but Sunpaw had to strain her eyes to see it. It still had its eyes fixed on her, and when Sunpaw met the faint blue eyes, the figure motioned with its head, as though it wanted her to follow it.

Sunpaw never knew why she did it, but she walked towards it, her steps deliberate. Still she felt no fear. The shadow-cat motioned with its head, indicating the cliff. Curiously, Sunpaw craned her neck, but saw nothing save for the side of the cliff. As she looked into the blue eyes, which were pale and bright at the same time, Sunpaw felt an immense wave of something which she would not call fear but which had no other name. She turned and fled to the others.

;-;-;-;

Back at camp that evening, Sunpaw sat sharing a meal with Icepaw and Rainpaw. She wondered about the cat figure she had seen. Once she had turned to run away from it, she had felt as though she had broken out of a trance. When she had padded towards it, she had not felt any fear or sensed danger of any kind. Until she met those eyes that last time.

Looking back on it now, she wondered why she hadn't stayed away from it. She wondered if she had imagined it. Clearly, neither Icepaw, Rainpaw, Sparrowbeak, Jaywing, nor Lightningstar had seen it.

But if she had imagined the figure, why had she imagined it so precisely? It had limped when it moved, and the eyes had been a very distinct shade of blue. _And why would I imagine it trying to show me something?_ she thought.

The elders, Sorrelflower in particular, had spoken of the spirits of StarClan. Was that what she had seen?

As she, Icepaw, and Rainpaw shared tongues after eating, Sunpaw made two vows to herself. First, she would ask Lightningstar what a spirit truly was. Second, she would return to the cliffs as soon as she possibly could. Something called her there.

Her dreams that night were full of darkness and cold, and of distant voices she could not understand.

;-;-;-;

"Lightningstar?"

At sunhigh following the day they had been shown the forest, the three apprentices had been shown the proper way to do the hunting stalk. Each had then gone with their mentor on a short hunt. Sunpaw had, so far, caught a mouse and a robin that, were it not for her long legs, would have gotten away from her because she had hesitated. Leader and apprentice had stopped by one of the several streams that ran through ThunderClan territory for a drink. Warm winds stirred the budding tree branches, and tiny, curled ferns were poking up from the earth.

"Yes, young Sunpaw."

"I have a question."

"Ask away," said the black-and-white tom, rasing his head from the stream.

Sunpaw felt strangely awkward. She was still not used to the notion of having her Clan's leader as her mentor, and Lightningstar had such a _presence._ Taking a breath, and wondering how she should phrase her query, Sunpaw asked, "What exactly is a spirit?"

Her leader cocked his head.

"The great spirits of StarClan are always spoken of," Sunpaw continued, "but I don't really know what a spirit _is_. Or what they are meant to do."

Lightningstar ran his tongue across his lips, his eyes thoughtful. After many long heartbeats, the silence broken only by birdsong, he spoke.

"A spirit lives inside every cat," he began. "When a cat dies, the spirit lives. And, in most cases, goes to StarClan. Tales were told to me, when I was an apprentice, that spirits have the ability to descend from the sky and come back down to the place where they once lived."

"But what exactly-"

He flicked his tail for silence. "I remember an elder telling me once that spirits come back down to the world of the Clans because they are feeling a strong emotion.Anger,overwhelming sorrow,or because the pain of parting from the breathing world is too much for them." He took a breath and continued. "But the same elder told me that sometimes StarClan needs to communicate with a cat in a more direct way than a dream, and so a spirit falls from the stars and appears to the cat."

"But to do what?"

"To show them the way."

"The way to what?"

"Who knows?" asked Lightningstar rhetorically, but not unkindly. "Perhaps to show them where an event will take place, or an alternate path when one is blocked off." Sunpaw kept her emerald eyes on his yellow ones. "A spirit, young Sunpaw," he concluded, "is an echo of a cat who was, a shadow of a voice yearning to speak with a living being, a memory trapped in time."

He bent his head to lick his chest. Sunpaw thought about what he had told her. Was the thing she had seen yesterday on the cliffs just that? A spirit of StarClan that had come down from the stars to attempt to speak to her? _Stop it_, she told herself. _The salt in the air yesterday got to your head, and you imagined it. StarClan haven't any message for you. You're just an apprentice, not a medicine cat or leader. You don't read the stars or command a Clan._

But as they returned to camp, Sunpaw found she could not help but yearn to return to the sun-drown-place, if only to prove to herself that she had made up the image of the cat in her mind.

;-;-;-;

_Listen as the wind blows from across the great divide._

_Voices trapped in yearning,_

_Memories trapped in time._

-Sarah McLachlan, _Possession _

**A/N**: And so we conclude chapter three! Listen, to anyone who's reading out there, review! It's not like I write only for reviews, but I like to see what people like and what could be improved. By all means, if you see something I could improve on, tell me! Just do so nicely. Being blatantly rude never helped anybody much, did it? Also, the Grade Eight Proficiency Assessments are coming up in about a week, so there may be some delay in updates.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N**: Thank you,all of you, for your reviews! I must've sat staring at my screen grinning like an idiot for over a minute! Something that was pointed out: Sunpaw doesn't really have a distinct personality that separates her from her friends at the moment. Fear not, it'll be fixed. I just looked back and realized how bland she currently is. Thanks for the tip on writer's block, and again, much thanks on the reviews in general!

Oh yes...Sunpaw and Icepaw? Read on through the chapters, dear people, read on.

**Disclaimer**: I think if I owned Warriors, I'd be writing the books, not trying to get a job at Borders.

**Chapter Four**

The shadow-cat came to her again in her dreams.

Sunpaw was back at the sun-drown-place. It was night now, and the cliffs were cool beneath her paws rather than warm. The silver moonlight illuminated the pale gray cat with the blue eyes, the shadow-cat. In the dream, Sunpaw felt no sense of fear or uneasiness. The cat cast a sense of peace and calm gentle as the moon's touch. Sunpaw again met those pale blue eyes, and at once the whisperings flooded her mind.

Fluttering of wings, soft rushes of wind, murmurs of muffled voices, all echoing in her mind.

Sunpaw moved silently to stand flanking the shadow-cat. This time, when the gray cat motioned with its head, she could see down the cliff side. With her eyes that brightened the darkness, Sunpaw was able to make out a downward path made of smooth, flat rocks. Any cat would easily be able to jump down them.

She raised her head to meet the shadow-cat's eyes. As she did-

-wings fluttering above her head, soft rushes of wind, voices calling, calling her, those pale eyes boring straight through into her mind-

"What do want with me?" Sunpaw yowled to the cat, who stood unmoving.

"To wake you up. We're on dawn patrol."

"Huh?"

Sunpaw jerked her head up and found herself eye-to-eye with Rainpaw, who stood over her. As she pushed herself up, Sunpaw saw she had scrabbled her meticulously kept nest over half the den.

"I said we're on dawn patrol," repeated Rainpaw.

"Oh."

Standing up, Sunpaw padded out of the den and shook the moss from her coat. As she bent around to give herself a hasty wash, Rainpaw trotted over to her, pale blue eyes clouded with worry.

"Are you alright? Were you dreaming?"

Sunpaw glanced up, then kept washing. "Yeah. Had a dream. Where are we patrolling?" she added, wanting to change the subject.

"RiverClan border," answered Rainpaw, plainly still concerned.

"'kay. Where's Icepaw?"

"He's on ShadowClan border patrol. They left right before I woke you up."

Sunpaw grunted to show she had heard, then kept washing, trying to smooth down her fur. In addition to being mussed from sleep, it had bristled due to the dream. Sunpaw was many things, and proud was one of them. She wasn't about to admit a dream had frightened her to fur-bristling point.

She hoped she would be able to get away today. Maybe Lightningstar would send her on a hunting mission near the sun-drown-place.

She doubted it. They'd been in training for three quarter-moons now, and still none of them had been sent out on their own.

_Given luck, I'll probably get there by the time I'm a warrior._

;-;-;-;

"RiverClan patrol," Sunpaw warned the group. A waft of strong, fishy RiverClan scent had drifted across from over the narrow end of the lake.

"Are we safe here?" asked Rainpaw. "Should we move away?"

_Ever the worrier, aren't you, Rainpaw?_

"We'll be fine," said Sparrowbeak. As she said that, three cats stepped out of the reeds across the lake. A heavily muscled, dark russet tom was leading the group, with a slender white warrior and small, pale brown apprentice just behind him. The tom stalked up to the edge of the border, getting as close as he could to Lightningstar without crossing into ThunderClan territory.

"Greetings, Lightningstar," he said in a deep, gravelly voice. "You're rather close to the border, aren't you?"

Seeing as how the russet tom was far closer to the border itself than they were, Sunpaw mewed boldly, "You're right on the edge. We're at least four tail-lengths back."

Lightningstar shot her a warning glance, Rainpaw looked worried, and the russet tom's eyes narrowed. He glared at Lightningstar.

"I would teach her respect, if I were you," he growled.

"I wouldn't tell a leader from another Clan how to mentor his apprentice, if I were you," replied Lightningstar evenly. With a short nod of-acknowledgment, farewell?-to the tom, Lightningstar led the patrol away from the border and back into the forest.

Sunpaw kept her head high, carried her tail tall and straight. Lightningstar asked Sparrowbeak and Rainpaw to finish the patrol on their own, then beckoned for Sunpaw to join him under the shade of an oak.

"Sunpaw," he said, causing her to get the feeling this was going to be a lecture, "while you were correct in your fact about how close to the border Oakfur was, I recommend you hold your tongue in the future."

"He had no right to say that when he was essentially in our territory!" she exclaimed. "Wh-"

"Sunpaw," said Lightningstar. The way he said it, the deepness of his voice, all his nobility and strength as leader fixed into the one word, made her stop. "You are a bold individual, and I respect that. What you need to see is that warriors can easily view a bold apprentice as impudent."

"Impudent! They think I'm a bloody, traitorous, murderer!"

"Sunpaw." He did it again. One word, just one word, made her stop, but this time the one word was infused with traces of anger. "I am well aware of where many of Clan see you stand. I know they see you beneath them. What you need to see is that there are warriors who know you will be equal to them when you gain your warrior name."

"Who?" she growled bitterly.

"Quickriver, Jaywing, Sparrowbeak, Darkcloud, and Treeshadow."

"And Sorrelflower," put in Sunpaw, naming the tortoiseshell elder. "She's nice to Rainpaw, Icepaw, and me." Naming cats who trusted her did nothing to lift her mood.

"Speaking of the other apprentices," said Lightningstar, "how do they treat you?"

"Well, Icepaw and Rainpaw are my friends."

"Shadowpaw and Nightpaw?"

"Shadowpaw's like an adder with a short temper towards us, and Nightpaw doesn't say anything," she muttered in a surly voice.

"And Badgerpaw?"

Sunpaw shrugged. "He's always badgering us about something or other." For a moment, she couldn't understand why Lightningstar chuckled, then realized her wording. It was enough to take away some minuscule traces of anger.

"Badgerpaw will be given his warrior name very soon," he told her, "so you won't have to share a den with him much longer."

Sunpaw nodded stiffly. Along with her pride, Sunpaw possessed a streak that did not let anger lift easily. She still felt hot with the thought of more than half the Clan expecting her to turn traitor at the drop of a leaf. Lightningstar pricked his ears then, and a moment later Icepaw and Jaywing emerged from the bushes.

Icepaw trotted up to Sunpaw and pushed his nose against her cheek in greeting. Either he sensed her anger, or the anger itself had taken physical form around her, because a heartbeat later he pulled back.

"You alright?" he asked.

"Oh, I'm doing just dandy," she muttered. She was dimly aware of the two mentors starting back to camp, and stalked after them sulkily. When they reached camp, Sunpaw was about to bring the elders some fresh-kill when she felt Icepaw running his tongue along her flank in long, soothing strokes.

"You always have to go and spoil a good snit," she said to him in a mock-angry tone. He flicked his tail in amusement.

"You're no fun when you're in a snit," he said matter-of-factly. "You take a while to calm down, so I figured I'd help you along."

Sunpaw didn't know quite how to feel about that, so she scooped up some fresh-kill and hurried over to the elder's den.

;-;-;-;

"Hello, young Sunpaw."

"Hi, Sorrelflower," she greeted the elder. "Want some fresh-kill?"

"Thank you, that would be lovely."

Sunpaw never could get over how the elders sounded when they spoke. It wasn't that they bothered her, it was just that they sounded funny with all their formality. She placed a fat rabbit in front of Sorrelflower, then dipped her head respectfully.

"You can stay and share if you like," said the old she-cat, fixing her green eyes on Sunpaw. "I'm tired of talking to old cats. I need to talk to someone young who doesn't spend their day lounging around."

"Do you miss being a warrior?" asked Sunpaw, taking a mouthful of the fresh-kill.

"Do I ever!" exclaimed Sorrelflower, her voice cracking slightly. "I used to run like the wind, and I could climb trees faster than some of the warriors when I was an apprentice!"

"Did you ever listen to the elder's tales?" Sunpaw asked her.

"Oh, sometimes. I was quite a bit like you: always on the go, always doing something, either with another cat or on my own. I've slowed down considerably over the seasons, and now I tell the tales."

"Do you know any tales of Firestar?" asked Sunpaw. Normally she had no patience to sit and listen to elder's tales, but the tales of the legendary flame-coated cat had always interested her.

"Oh, of course I do," Sorrelflower said. "You've heard that the Clans used to live in a place on the other side of the mountains?" Sunpaw nodded, and the elder continued, "One of my ancestors was a young warrior for much of Firestar's reign, and he passed down many a tale about him."

"What was your ancestor's name?" Though Sunpaw knew she herself obviously had ancestors who had made the journey, her mother had never mentioned any names.

"Dustpelt, I think. Yes, it was Dustpelt."

Sunpaw glanced at the sky. "Sorrelflower, sorry, but Lightningstar told me to go hunting again at sunhigh..."

"Don't worry," said Sorrelflower. "I know you've things to do. Maybe at sundown you an come and listen. I know many a tale about Firestar." Sunpaw nodded. She was padding away when she heard Sorrelflower whisper something under her breath. The whisper made Sunpaw turn and stare at the leafy holly bush. For reasons she did not quite understand, the elder's whisper made her heart pound and paws prickle. As she shook herself and kept walking out the camp to where Lightningstar would be waiting for her, Sorrelflower's whisper stayed in her mind, though she had probably not been meant to hear it.

_Firestar reborn._

;-;-;-;

_Ever notice we always hear the things we're not meant to?_

--B.L.B.

**A/N**: End of chapter four! You know, I'd really love to read some more of those reviews...I've got major testing going on all this week and I'll need some relief. What's good, improvments needed, ya ta ta, the usual.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N**: Okay, in order: thanks to **Lux Leroux**, **Tall Star, Krissy25, Sunfur, **and **Flameclaw** for reviews! Glad to see you lovely people are liking the characters! We finally get some action in this chapter, and more elements to the prophecy come into play. And yes, **Lux Leroux**, your review did cheer me up: I read it after a day of sitting in a chair for 2 hours, and that time was spent deciphering math problems and filling in little circles. Ugh. Anywho, let's get this on with.

**Disclaimer**: Well, I own the first six Warriors books in paperback, does that count?

**Chapter Five**

Sunpaw bounded silently through the forest. Tiny, bright green leaves were appearing on the trees now, in addition to the pink and red buds. Thick moss coated the ground in springy patches. Slowing her pace by a fraction, Sunpaw crossed over a wide, deep stream, padding quickly across the fallen birch that served as a bridge over the water.

She couldn't believe her luck: Lightningstar had sent her on a solo mission to the sun-drown-place! The sun had barely broken the horizonand Sunpaw could feel the grass warming beneath her paws as she ran. She had already caught two rabbits and a small finch and she hadn't even reached the cliffs yet. More good luck. She would be able to stop long enough to jump down the rock path on the cliffs and see what lay below.

As the grass thinned and morphed into bare rock, she slowed her pace and looked around. There was the ocean, the great, roaring, crashing body of water. Taking a moment to catch her breath, Sunpaw swung her gaze over to where the shadow-cat had appeared both in the waking world and in her dreams. No trace of it. Still, she hadn't come all this way just to hunt, even if that had been Lightningstar's intention.

She padded over to where she had seen the rock path. It was just as it had been in the dream: about a dozen flat rocks forming an easy path down the cliff. Without stopping to consider how stupid it might be to jump down or if the rocks were even closely spaced enough for her to climb backup, Sunpaw leapt easily down.

_Why hasn't anyone noticed this path before?_ she wondered._It's right here in plain view! And if this is how medicine cats reach the Silverstone, they must be able to climb back up, so why would we be told how hard it is to get back up from the sand? Makes no sense._

As she landed on the sand, she was unable to hold back a slight mew of surprise at how warm the sand was. It was nowhere close to sunhigh, but the sand was warmer than the air around her. The salt smell was even more powerful down here, and she took note of how close to the rocks the waves were breaking.

Padding along the edge where rocks met sand, Sunpaw found she was strangely calm around so much water crashing so near herself. She saw strange things dotting the sand every few tail-lengths; walking over to one that was not too near the waterline, she leaned over it. It looked like a rock, but had ridges running through it, and was much thinner than any rock she had ever seen.

_StarClan, you lead me to this._ she thought, turning her emerald gaze skyward._What are you trying to show me, if anything?_

She began to jump from rock to rock then, and gasped when her paws met a patch of slippery moss. Scrabbling for a pawhold, she managed to heave herself onto the rock properly. Unsheathing her claws to grip the slimy moss, she looked around from her point and felt a thread of irritation run through her. _StarClan, what was the point of showing me the way down here if there's nothing here? What am I supposed to find when there is nothing but the waves and the sand?_

Leaping down gracefully from her perch, Sunpaw started back towards the rock path. As she reached the bottom boulder, a strange scent wafted across her nose. Frowning, she leaned closer to the rock and sniffed deeply. She was unused to the scents of salt and sand, which, compared to the earth and moss of the forest, were powerful. Pressing her nose against the rock, she inhaled.

Cat scent! Not ThunderClan, but the powerful salt scent made it impossible to tell if it belonged to another Clan. Whatever cat left behind their scent had to have jumped up the rocks while Sunpaw had her back turned. Which meant the only place they could have gone would be up on the cliffs.

_On ThunderClan territory!_ Sunpaw bristled. Whoever it was was intruding, and no cat intruded on ThunderClan land and got away with it.Anger at the trespasser propelled Sunpaw back up the rock path, and when she leapt from the last rock back onto the cliff itself, she saw the cat.

Sunpaw was a cat of impulse, and impulse certainly had a grip on her. The moment she had all four paws atop the cliff, she hurled herself at the cat.

She landed square on the cat's back. Whoever it was, they were only about half again Sunpaw's size. As she dug her claws into the cat's flank, she could feel how weak it was. That, however, was not enough to stop Sunpaw from pinning it down, flattening her ears, and baring her teeth.

"Intruder!" she spat. "Why are you on Clan territory?" She could tell it was a she-cat now, and that it wasn't from any Clan. Probably a loner or rouge that had no sense to heed Clan boundary lines.

"Please!" said the she-cat, her voice shrill with fear."I didn't know this territory belonged to anyone!"

"How can you not scent Clan boundary lines?" growled Sunpaw.

"I was born in the mountains! The smells are so cluttered here!"

Mountains. Yes, Sunpaw had heard about cats living in the mountains._What do they call themselves?_ She couldn't remember. Not Clans.

Tribe! That was it. The Tribe of Rushing Something. She'd only heard about them only once, and that was when she'd been four moons.

"I needed to get away," whimpered the she-cat. "I couldn't stay with the Tribe any longer, needed to leave, I'd be dead..." she seemed to be talking to herself. Now that she was further away from the salt scent, the she-cat was emitting an almost overpowering fear-scent. _And,_ thought Sunpaw, _she must be terrified if she's begging to me, the apprentice._ Though the gray cat was small, Sunpaw could tell she was full-grown. Slowly, she sheathed her claws and stepped off her. True, Sunpaw was impulsive, but she wasn't a killer.

The other cat had the palest gray pelt Sunpaw had ever seen; it was nearly white. Amber eyes were bright with fear, and her ribs poked out. No wonder she was weak: she hadn't been eating. Her body was short and would be stocky, Sunpaw guessed, if she was given time to eat some decent meals.

Sunpaw stood and watched the she-cat watch her. Deciding the best thing to do would be to bring her to Lightningstar, she beckoned with her tail. "Come on," she growled. Even if the cat was in a sorry state, she had still intruded, and Sunpaw wasn't ready to forgive that. She was mildly surprised when the pale gray cat followed her; she was old enough to be a warrior, but she obeyed what an apprentice said.

They had just reentered the forest when they heard something crashing through the undergrowth. An instant later, Treeshadow burst out from under a bush. His fur was torn and a deep scratch ran across his nose. He was panting, and Sunpaw guessed he had run all the way from camp.

"Sunpaw!" he gasped, taking no notice of the other she-cat. "Lightningstar sent me to find you."

"What's going on?" demanded Sunpaw

"C-camp is being attacked," he panted. "Strange cats. They're not any C-clan."

The pale gray she-cat made a whimpering noise, but neither cat paid her any mind. Treeshadow continued, "It's w-worse. A f-...f-," he was too out of breath to finish the word, but Sunpaw guessed what he was trying to say.

"Fox?" When he nodded, she managed to reply in a voice both scornful and believing, "Foxes don't mingle with cats! What's a _fox_ doing-"

"H-have to go," Treeshadow said. "We're losing b-badly."

Sunpaw tore after him as he whipped around and took the quickest route back towards the camp. A pale gray shape entered her peripheral vision, and she knew the intruder she'd found was following. Was she really going to aid them in battle, or did she just not know what else to do?

The battle could be heard before the camp wall was even in view. Even as Sunpaw hurtled to the slope that led into the clearing, she could smell strange cats, the scents all jumbled togetherSunpaw was down the slope in two bounds, which surprised her; it usually took her four. With Treeshadow ahead of her, she leapt into the fray.

She landed on the back of a brown tom who was fighting Rainpaw; the gray-tailed apprentice, who was small, was being beaten down by the larger cat.The brown cat was distracted by the sudden weight on him, and he shook himself, trying to throw her off. In that time, Rainpaw managed to struggle to her feet, and Sunpaw slithered off the tom's back and lashed out at him. He seemed bewildered by Sunpaw's sudden appearance, and, as though the prospect of taking on two seven-moons-old apprentices was too much for him, he fled.

Rainpaw nodded her thanks, and Sunpaw saw blood dripping from her friend's shoulder. "Go see Treeshadow," she told her. Rainpaw took her advice, which was lucky. In the time Sunpaw spared to watch her stumble across the camp, it was plain Rainpaw could hardly accomplish that, let alone continue battle.

An orange tabby she-cat flung herself at Sunpaw, knocking her down. Winded, the golden-red apprentice lay stunned as the other cat reared above her on her hind legs, claws outstretched. Sunpaw instinctively drew her back legs towards her belly, and when the tabby began to drop, she kicked out. Her legs were weak from the mad dash to camp, and her move did little more than cause the tabby to stagger slightly. As the she-cat pulled back a forepaw, preparing to give Sunpaw a blow, a flash of black knocked her flat.

Sunpaw scrambled up. Darkcloud had slammed himself into the tabby's flank, and was now clawing her shoulders. Since the dark warrior was doing far better a job than she would be able to, Sunpaw turned to scan the clearing.

Treeshadow had been right; the Clan was losing. Whoever had invaded, they were many. With a needle of horror, Sunpaw saw a great shape lurking at the edge of the camp. It was a fox. Or was it?

It had a deep black coat, and Sunpaw had been told that foxes were identified by their vivid red fur. It looked to be surveying the battle occurring,but it made no move to fight.It turned its head in her direction, and Sunpaw could see, despite the distance, that it had piercing, ice-blue eyes.

And with the thought of ice came an image in Sunpaw's mind, an image of a handsome, silver-white tom with deep blue eyes. Where was Icepaw?

She swerved around the screeching catslooking for one specific pelt. She saw ThunderClan cats, but not the one she wanted.

"Sunpaw!"

Lightningstar had called her. She spun around, looking for him. Just outside the nursery, he was pinned to the ground by two of the strange cats. The thought of finding Icepaw was momentarily driven from her mind as she rushed to help her mentor. Snarling, she flew into one of the attacking cats' flanks. As she did, she swore she heard the sharp crack of breaking bone. As that cat was knocked off, she clawed at the face of the remaining one, trying to make it rear back and release Lightningstar.

Lightningstar, now that some of the extra weight holding him down had departed, was able to scramble to his paws and shove the attacking cat with his shoulder. Working as one, he and Sunpaw clawed and bit the other cat until he tore away from them, yowling.

It was then that Sunpaw saw a flash of silver amidst all the other pelts filling the camp. _Icepaw_. Without a second thought, she hurtled towards it.

It was indeed Icepaw, and Sunpaw felt a surge of pride as she saw he was somehow managing to hold off a cat much larger than him. But that pride vanished in an instant and was replaced with fear as the bigger cat struck Icepaw hard in the shoulder, sending him crashing to the ground. Icepaw's attacker stood up on its hind legs, ready to drop down on the apprentice.

Moving quicker than she would have thought possible, Sunpaw rolled on the ground and came to a halt directly beside the enemy tom's back legs. Bracing her forepaws against the ground, she swung her hind legs into Icepaw's attacker's. Her move sent the larger cat to fall sideways, and she had to fling herself out of its way.

"Retreat!"

The yowl that sounded above the battle did not belong to a ThunderClan cat. Wondering what could cause the attackers to beat retreat when they still had the upper hand, Sunpaw looked wildly around the camp and saw. Six ThunderClan cats streamed into the clearing; a returning patrol. These cats were not worn and injured like the rest of the Clan; no, they were fresh and fit and fiery with energy.

"Retreat! Stand down! Leave them!" This time Sunpaw saw it was the black fox that called from its place at the camp's edge. A fox that mingled with cats _and _spoke their language! A river of cats not ThunderClan flowed out the entrance. The midnight fox with the icy eyes was last to go.

Sudden quiet filled the camp.Clumps of fur floated in the air and clung to the grassy ground. Blood was spattered on every surface, and small pools of the same substance stood out against the bright green grass. Sunpaw panted heavily. Her lungs were on fire, her legs were blocks of stone, her wounds burned with invisible flame.

She saw Treeshadow running from cat to cat, looking calm despite all the injuries. She turned her gaze to Icepaw, who had stood and was gasping for breath. Deep cuts stained his fur crimson.

The just-returned patrol began to talk at once, their voices thick with fear and confusion. Lightningstar hauled himself up onto the Hightree and called for silence.

"Count each other!" he commanded. "Each rank is to count themselves!"

Sunpaw gently nudged Icepaw to his feet. He was limping on his right front leg, and blood dripped from cuts on his shoulder, left flank, and cheek. "Come on," she whispered. "You can make it to the den."

"No," he gasped. His breath came in heaves. "No, I can't." He met her eyes. "You know me, Sunpaw. I can't."

Sunpaw did know him. He wouldn't lie. He didn't lie. He couldn't make it. "Lean on me," she told him, but Treeshadow hurried up.

"Don't move him," he told Sunpaw. "Lay down, Icepaw."

Reluctantly leaving Icepaw with the medicine cat, Sunpaw went to look for the other apprentices. She knew Rainpaw was in Treeshadow's den, and there was Badgerpaw, being helped to Treeshadow's den by Darkcloud. She spotted Shadowpaw talking in a low voice to his mentor, Hawkclaw; they appeared to be nursing their wounds, but Sunpaw couldn't quite tell. Nightpaw. Where was she?

She saw the black, long-haired she-cat staggering across the camp. It looked like she had been guarding the nursery. Like Icepaw, she too was limping and seemed on the verge of collapse. Quickly, Sunpaw went to her side and supported her with her shoulder, though she could barely manage it. "Come on," she said. "I'll take you to Treeshadow's den."

Nightpaw nodded. By the time they reached the sheltered space created by the fallen tree's entwined branches, Sunpaw had her teeth in the other apprentice's scruff to help her keep moving. Carefully, she laid her down. Nightpaw had never been her friend, but she'd never exactly been her enemy eitherand she was a fellow apprentice. That counted for a lot of things. Treeshadow came over then, and Sunpaw flicked her tail to indicate Nightpaw. She could see the small, white shape of Rainpaw curled at the back of the den.

"Lightningstar," she called to the Clan leader, "all apprentices are alive."

"All the warriors too, and the queens, and the elders," added Mudspeckle. As Lightningstar jumped down from the Hightree, the Clan deputy went on. "Nobody's dead, Lightningstar. Plenty wounded, and wounded bad. But not a single one dead." The mottled brown tom shook his head. "It doesn't make sense. All those cats who we've never seen before come flooding into the camp. They outnumber us plenty, they hurt us bad, but they don't kill a single one of us." Those of the Clan who could walk were coming over to them.

"Why?" said Lightningstar, mostly to himself. "And the fox...Foxes don't mingle with cats. It's unnatural. And it even _spoke_ cat."

For reasons she didn't know, Sunpaw looked over at Shadowpaw and Hawkclaw. They were still talking together, and Sunpaw didn't know why the dark warrior didn't come and talk to Lightningstar. Hawkclaw was Mudspeckle's brother, and Lightningstar often listened to his opinion as well.

"Why didn't they kill any of us?" asked Mudspeckle again. "Not that I want any dead, but it's like they want us all alive."

"They do."

Leader, deputy, and apprentice turned towards the voice. It was the pale gray she-cat Sunpaw had found on the cliffs. _She's still here? She stayed?_

"Who are you?" asked Lightningstar, stalking over to her.

The Clan was all gathered now, and Sunpaw could see the gray she-cat quiver under so many eyes on her. Some cats were snarling, hissing, and baring their teeth at her.

"My name is Morning of Gray Dawn," said the she-cat shakily. "I know why these cats came."

;-;-;-;

_Of three minds that know why, only one speaks out._

–B.E.M., _One_

**A/N**: Kind of longer than usual. Well, hope this is enough to hold you lovely reviewers until I can get up chapter six, which, I think, will be shorter. Also, I've posted allegiances in my look-up if anyone's interested.Well, go on. Review.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N**: Thanks to those who reviewed! This would've been up two days ago, but I noticed a gaping mistake when I was re-reading it, so I had to rewrite half the chapter. Again, thanks to reviewers for your kind words! I've been having the kind of week where nothing goes right, and getting the messages in my in-box made my day! Oh, and this picks up directly after the last chapter; no time has passed.

**Disclaimer:** Well, I got a lovely letter in the mail from Kate Carey and Cherith Baldry saying that they've decided to pass on the ownership of Warriors to me and...oh, fine. That's not true.

**Chapter Six**

The pale gray she-cat stared out at the crowd nervously.

"How did you get here?" asked Lightningstar, stopping in front of her. Sunpaw stood and answered that.

"I found her on my hunting patrol," she said, her voice carrying. "She was on the cliffs. I-,"

"Brought her here," interjected Hawkclaw. He glared at her. "Is it a coincidence that when we are attacked in our own camp, the half-blood brings back an intruder?" he asked the Clan at large, turning to face them. "This she-cat bears the same scent as the cats who ambushed us! Is it coincidence, I ask you, that this cat was found by-,"

"Hawkclaw!" Lightningstar said. His voice was calm, but his eyes were smoldering. "Silence. Let Sunpaw speak. And need I remind you that it is not your place to blame Sunpaw for her heritage, much less openly scorn her for it?" The dark warrior fell silent, but Sunpaw bared her teeth at him before continuing.

"She said that she would be dead if she had stayed. Said that she needed to leave. I was bringing her to camp to let Lightningstar decide what to do with her." She glared pointedly at Hawkclaw. "We'd just got back into the forest when Treeshadow came bursting out of the bushes, telling me the camp was being attacked and Lightningstar had sent him to find me."

"That's all very well," came Quickriver's voice, and the Clan turned to look at the pale brown she-cat. "I believe you, Sunpaw, but why did this cat come to our land?"

Trembling, Morning seemed to be having trouble speaking, and when she managed, her voice was so quiet it could hardly be heard. "I am from the Tribe of Rushing Water. Three moons ago, I completed my training and became a cave-guard. Before that, about five moons before that, a black fox came to live around the cave. When Stoneteller and the most experienced cave-guards went to chase her off, she started to talk.

"I'm not sure why Stoneteller listened. Maybe because it was a fox that talked cat, and that convinced him that she was trustworthy. She told him that she could bring him more territory than the mountains. Stoneteller had always wanted more territory, and that drove him to believe even more strongly that he could trust the vixen.

"The vixen said that if Stoneteller would let her into the cave, she would tell the Tribe her plan." At this, Sunpaw wondered how stupid a cat had to be to let a fox into the place where they lived, but Morning went on. "She swore by the Tribe of Endless Hunting that she would not harm any cat in any way." The Clan exchanged confused looks. Rainpaw muttered, "I think that's like StarClan to them." Sunpaw jumped, because the camp had been silent save for Morning's voice, and she was surprised that Rainpaw had been able to walk over from Treeshadow's den.

"Her promise on the Tribe of Endless Hunting was what ultimately led Stoneteller to decide that she could be trusted. A fox that knew what our ancestors are called...it was an incredible phenomenon." She took a shaking breath, and Sunpaw could see how frightened she was as she relayed this information.

"So he led her into the cave. Once Stoneteller told us of her oath, most of the Tribe trusted her as well. She told us that beyond the mountains, four groups of cats who called themselves Clans lived in a forest. We knew that, but let her speak.

"The fox said that if we banded together with her, we could take over the Clan cats' forest. Many were pleased with the proposal. Prey is extremely scarce in the mountains, and though we are adapted to it, there is never enough. Having a whole forest _and_ the mountains was like a blessing from the Tribe of Endless Hunting." At this point, Morning's fur had begun to bristle, and she licked her paw and drew it over her ear nervously. She tried three times to keep speaking, her voice failing each time. When she could again talk, her meow was slightly louder.

"I was seven moons at the time. I remember hearing nearly every cat say it more than twice a day, so I spent a good amount of time hearing how wonderful it would be. I was half opposed to the idea, and half in agreement with it.

"The fox said that she would give us time to decide if we truly wanted the Clan's territory. A half-moon later, when she returned, about two-thirds of the Tribe were agreed. For many moons she came back to see Stoneteller to discuss how the forest would be taken over. Careful planning, she said, would be needed. If there was the smallest flaw, the Tribe could lose."

"So you know how and when the Tribe will attack?" called Sunpaw. If that were so, Morning would be a great asset to the Clans. But the gray she-cat's amber eyes were dull.

"No. Only Stoneteller and the fox knew what battle tactics were being planned."

"Your leader didn't tell any cat what was going on?" Orangestripe called out.

Morning shook her head. "He said that when the time came, he would tell the whole Tribe. But the time never came.

"One moon ago, Stoneteller and the vixen went out to the edge of the mountains. I can't remember exactly what they were doing...I just know they went out. The same day, my friend Cry of Hunting Hawk went out to hunt. Iaccompanied him. He was chasing a rabbit, and I was watching the sky for hawks. Since I was looking up, I could see cliff-tops. On one I saw the vixen and Stoneteller." At this point Morning's voice began to shake, and for aheartbeat Sunpaw thought she would be unable to go on. After a few moments, she went on.

"The vixen p-pushed him off the cliff . I watched him f-fall. He h-hit a rock. Cry of Hunting Hawk had gone around a bend in a cliff and didn't see. The v-vixen jumped down right after Stoneteller fell. She slashed him across his throat. Then I saw her drag a dead hawk out from under a small overhang. She then..." Morning was now trembling so much Sunpaw swore she could see the grass shaking. "She then dipped the hawk's talons in Stoneteller's blood."

"She made it look like a hawk killed him and she killed the hawk," muttered Sunpaw to herself.

"She wanted total control of the Tribe, and the only way to do that was to kill Stoneteller, make it look like an accident, and stage it like she avenged his death the best she could. She knew the Tribe would look to her even more."

"Didn't your Tribe have a deputy?" asked Lightningstar.

"A second in command? We have a sort of that. The fox killed her, too. I'm sure of it. She wouldn't kill Stoneteller and then have another rise to take his place. She's smart, for a fox."

"And now she's got total control of the Tribe?" asked Treeshadow.

"I would think so. If Stoneteller's successor was killed, then the fox holds complete control. The Tribe would look to her as their leader."

"So after the fox murdered Stoneteller, what did you do?" prompted Lightningstar. "What made you come to our territory?"

"The vixen saw me after she bloodied the hawk's talons. She knew I'd seen what she did. So I ran," said Morning softly. "I was a coward, but it was all I could think to do. I didn't want to die." She took a deep, shuddering breath. "I reached the sun-drown-place and tried to live there. It is more difficult to hunt here than in the mountains. I was near to starving. Then today, the young one found me." Every cat turned to Sunpaw. She raised her chin in an almost defiant way as she stared back.

"Lightningstar, what are you going to do?"

"Is there any question about it?" came the loud voice of Shadowpaw. "She needs to leave! How do we know she told the truth? It's more than likely that this whole story was planned ahead of time and she's just here to spy!"

Yowls of agreement came from more than half the Clan. Lightningstar pulled himself up onto the Hightree and called for silence.

"For now," he said, his deep meow sounding through the clearing, "Morning is to be kept here. If it is fine with you, Treeshadow," he continued, raising his voice above the protests of the Clan, "I would prefer for her to stay near your den."

The gray tabby considered for a long moment, then nodded slowly.

"It is decided," said the black-and-white leader with finality. "For now, she stays. We will keep careful watch around all our borders. Rebuilding of the camp wall will begin today. All patrols will contain at least three warriors. No apprentice is to leave the camp alone, and must be back in camp before sundown. Treeshadow, how bad are the injuries?"

"Rainpaw has a cut on her shoulder, but it won't get infected and she should be on her feet by morning. Nightpaw and Sparrowbeak will need to remain with me for a few days. Icepaw has a shoulder wound as well-,"

"It's already closing up," called the apprentice from the side of the crowd. Sunpaw breathed a silent sigh of relief.

"But apart from that, all other wounds have been treated and should heal well."

Lightningstar nodded. "Sorrelflower, Barkfur, how are you two?"

"Fine," came Sorrelflower's slightly cracked mew. "They didn't seem to think we were worth much bother."

"Mudspeckle," went on the Clan leader, "find the two most fit warriors and go in the direction of the mountains. Look for any trace of the cats and fox." He then slithered down, ending the meeting. Mudspeckle left the camp with Jaywing and Roseleaf almost immediately after.

"Are you alright?" asked Rainpaw, her pale blue eyes, as usual, worried.

"Yeah, I'm fine," answered Sunpaw. "How's your shoulder?"

"Fine. Treeshadow didn't want me to leave his den, but it was easier to hear Morning from out here. Suppose I'll go back."

"Right. See you later."

"'Bye."

Sunpaw got up and padded over to Icepaw. Settling down beside him, she asked, "So how're you doing?"

"To quote you, just dandy. We've just taken part in a battle, Sunpaw, how do you think I feel?" His whiskers twitched in amusement. "Not bad. Scratches still twinge, but that'll be expected."

"Those aren't going to scar, are they?" She would hate to see that handsome coat of his marred by scars.

"I don't know. I didn't ask." He stretched each foreleg in turn, then said, "Do you believe her? Morning, I mean?"

"I don't know yet. If something happens that proves her story true, then yeah, I'll believe her. Until then, I'm neutral. What I want to know is, what in the name of StarClan is the fox's name? The whole time she called it 'the fox', 'she', or 'the vixen'."

"Maybe she's afraid to say the name."

Sunpaw looked over at Treeshadow's den. She could see Morning's pale gray fur. "I'm going over to ask."

"Are you sure-,"

Sunpaw cut him off. "Yes. Why not?" She walked away before Icepaw could answer.

As Sunpaw walked over to the Tribe cat, Hawkclaw stopped her before she could even get halfway. "Stay away from that Tribe spy," he growled at her. "Go and begin rebuilding the camp wall."

Narrowing her eyes at him, Sunpaw waited a few moments before dipping her head. "Yes, Hawkclaw."

When she reached Icepaw again, his blue eyes sparkled. "You've got courage, doing that to Hawkclaw."

"What? Waiting before I give the sign of acknowledgment from low, filthy half-blood to grand, noble warrior? I just wanted him to get the message."

"I wish you'd stop calling yourself that," he said as they padded out of camp to start collecting sticks for the camp. "You're not low or filthy."

"Still a half-blood," she said bitterly.

If he had a response to that, Sunpaw couldn't hear it, because his jaws were crammed with sticks.

;-;-;-;

Sunpaw was exhausted. Was it only this morning she had gone down the cliffs? Her jaws ached from toting sticks into the camp until nearly sundown. Despite the salves and poultices Treeshadow had applied to her wounds, every bite and scratch wasthrobbing. Her legs were stiffening from the mad dash from the sun-drown-place and the battle, and she hadn't eaten all day.

With a moan, she remembered the fresh-kill she'd left in the woods. She'd have to go fetch it, assuming something else hadn't already run off with it.

"Something up?" asked Icepaw as he smoothed his fur.

"Yes," she said, hauling herself up and padding over to where Lightningstar lay eating with Darkcloud and Waterdrip.

"Lightningstar," she said, dipping her head to him, "I left the fresh-kill I caught this morning in the forest. Should I go and get it, or wait until tomorrow?"

"I'll come with you to see if it's still there. Excuse me," he added to the two warriors he'd been eating with.

"Where did you leave it?" he asked her as they padded up the slope.

"Under a briar patch beside the Birch Stream," she said. He nodded and let her take the lead.

The sun had nearly vanished from the sky by the time they reached the place. Feeling mildly surprised all her prey was still there, Sunpaw took a moment to look at the sky. Stars, tiny pinpoints of light in a sea of deepening violet, were starting to brighten. In the direction of the ocean, Sunpaw could see fading streaks of gold, red, and pink.

Lightningstar stepped over to the stream and bent his head to drink. Feeling thirsty herself, Sunpaw did the same. As she lapped up the crisp water, she heard the same murmurings as when she'd first seen the shadow-cat at the sun-drown-place. Raising her head from the stream, she heard a voice.

"_Beware the shadows._"

Her heart began to race. Like at the sun-drown-place, the voice had reverberated inside her mind. She looked around for the shadow-cat, but saw nothing unusual among the trees. Her fur began to prickle with uneasiness, and she felt as though someone-or something-unseen to her was watching. As Lightningstar lifted his head from the stream, she forced herself to calm down as she gathered her prey.

If she had turned around at all on the trek back to camp, she would have seen a flame-pelted, yet translucent, cat padding behind them. And if she had listened, she would have heard the warning repeated.

"_Beware the shadows._"

But she did not look or listen.

;-;-;-;

"_I have a tendency to listen to the voices in my head. Sometimes they have good ideas._"

-M.B.B.

**A/N**: If all goes well, I should have the next chapter up within a week, as there's a current lull in the homework flood. And the usual: what's good, improvements needed, and all that fun stuff.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N**: Again, thanks to those who reviewed! Oh, another thing: I know in almost every chapter, I have some text bunched together. I read through my stuff about three times on WordPerfect and it isn't bunched, but I get it on here and it bunches up. I change it, I tell it so save changes, and yet it still comes up bunched together. I'm aware of it, I can't fix it. I've tried to fix it an oodle of times, but it simply will not behave, so that's why text comes up bunched.

**Disclaimer**: Do I _really_ need to say it?

**Chapter Seven**

"Well, at least he's gone now."

"For what, another two moons? We'll be made warriors too, and we'll have to den with him until we're old and stiff, and quite possibly until we're dead."

"Do you always have to take a pessimistic view on things?"

"I don't _always_; just when it concerns _him_." Sunpaw swiped her tongue over her shoulder. "And being around him," she added as an afterthought.

Badgerpaw had been given his warrior name of Badgerclaw. He now sat in the center of the camp, keeping his eyes fixed on the camp entrance. It was plain he had not been pleased with having Morning present at his ceremony; he didn't think "captive spies" should be permitted to watch Clan traditions. Sunpaw had pointed out that Morning was watching Clan traditions every day.

It was three days since the Tribe had attacked and Morning had relayed her information about what was being planned. The gray she-cat stayed just outside Treeshadow's den, always looking around nervously, hardly saying anything. Rainpaw, who was kind to everyone, had tried to talk to her, but to no avail.

Sunpaw yawned and stretched, trying not to wince as her still-healing wounds throbbed slightly. She ran her tongue over her paw and drew it over her face.

"What warrior names d'you think we'll get?" she asked the other two.

"Whatever Lightningstar decides to call us," answered Icepaw. "He could call you Sunsnout if he wanted to."

"Let me rephrase. What warrior names do you _want_?"

"I'm fine with anything, so long as it suits me," said Icepaw. "I wouldn't necessarily like the name Iceheart because it doesn't fit me."

"I'd be okay with anything," said Rainpaw. "Leaders consider apprentices' warrior names before their ceremony comes; whatever name I get, I'll know Lightningstar considered it carefully."

"What about you?" asked Icepaw.

"Well, definitely not Sunsnout. I want something that describes both my personality and my appearance."

"Good thing you're going for appearance, too," said Icepaw off-handedly, "because I can't even _begin_ to think of a warrior name that would describe your personality alone."

With a mock-angry hiss, Sunpaw cuffed his head with her claws half-sheathed.

As they curled up to sleep along with Shadowpaw and Nightpaw, Sunpaw yawned and smiled to herself. She fell asleep thinking of warrior names for her and her friends. Her final thought was how much she'd enjoy sitting vigil with Icepaw beside her.

;-;-;-;

Sunpaw emerged from the den, flexing her claws and gazing up at the trees. The leaves were broadening now, and many were taking on a deeper shade of green. Wildflowers were blooming throughout the forest, filling the woods with more scents than just dry earth and cold moss.

Taking a deep breath of the sweet air, Sunpaw wished she had the time to lay down in the sunlight and do absolutely nothing. Normally she was always looking for something to do while listening to Rainpaw telling her to stop looking for something to do, but the past few days had been non-stop work. The camp wall had only just been fully rebuilt, and all the warriors kept sending out the three youngest apprentices on hunting missions. Shadowpaw and Nightpaw, who was the oldest now, were in battle training. When they weren't hunting, Sunpaw, Icepaw, and Rainpaw were on patrols.

"You'd think with new-leaf here, they'd stop sending usout to hunt again every time we set paw back in camp," Sunpaw had said the day before.

"Well, there's more prey, isn't there? We need all we can," Rainpaw had responded.

"She's going to refuse to see the logic in that," mentioned Icepaw, who overheard as he strolled over to deposit his own fresh-kill on the pile.

Pushing her forelegs against the ground and raising her hindquarters, Sunpaw gave her back and leg muscles a long stretch before straightening up. A flash of orange caught her eye, and she turned to the nursery. Orangestripe had come hurrying out of the bushes, running under the branches of Treeshadow's den. A minute later, two tabbies, one dark gray and one dark orange, hurried back over to the nursery. Her pulse quickened with excitement; Yellowflower must be kitting!

Rainpaw, who had come up beside her, seemed to be thinking the same thing. Her pale blue eyes were bright and her tail tip twitched back and forth. Lightningstar slipped out of his den, and Sunpaw ran over to him.

"Lightningstar! I think Yellowflower is kitting!"

He looked over at the nursery. "That is good news," he said. "Is Treeshadow with her?" Sunpaw nodded. "Good. And before I forget, you and your friends are being assessed today."

"So soon?" Rainpaw asked him after she bowed her head in greeting.

"With-," he cast a glance at Morning across the camp, "with the Tribe attacking, I need to know how you three are progressing with your training. If you are doing well, I will consider allowing you to go to the next Gathering." The next one was in three days.

"When do we start?" asked Sunpaw.

"Wake up Icepaw, then meet me at the top of the slope when you are ready." He went to talk to Mudspeckle.

"What about me?" asked the tom in question, coming over to stand by his sister.

"Oh, good, you're awake, we're being assessed today," Sunpaw said in a rush.

His deep blue eyes brightened. "Where are we going?"

"Don't know yet," Rainpaw answered him. She kneaded the ground nervously. "Oh, StarClan, I hope we do alright."

"Stop worrying," Sunpaw told her, giving her an affectionate nudge. "We've been training for over a moon."

The small white she-cat stared at her. "It's not like you to be that optimistic."

"What can I say? I'm a bundle of surprises."

;-;-;-;

"Rainpaw, you will go south, along the Pine Grove trail. Icepaw, take the eastern trail towards the Star Lake. And Sunpaw, you will go west, across the Rock Valley, to the edge of Clan territory. If any of you catch _any_ trace of the Tribe or the fox, come straight back here immediately," Lightningstar said. "You have until sundown to catch as much prey as you can and bring it back here. Go."

Three apprentices, one golden-red, one silver-white, and one snow-white with a gray tail, each turned in different directions.

Confidently, Sunpaw traced her route in her mind and padded along it. Keeping her mouth open to draw in scents, she was halfway to the Rock Valley before prey-scent even wafted across her nose. Falling into the hunting crouch, Sunpaw peered through the undergrowth and saw the short brown pelt of a rabbit. Pulling herself slowly towards it, she waited. Then, so quickly that all that could be seen was a red blur, she shot towards it and finished it off with a single bite. Stowing it under the bush which it had been nibbling at, Sunpaw carried on.

By the time she reached Rock Valley, it was nearly sunhigh. She had added a robin, two mice, and a fat vole to her list of caught prey, and hoped she would be able to catch considerably more before the day was done. Taking only a moment to plot which rocks she would jump across, Sunpaw began leaping across the aptly named Rock Valley, which was a wide expanse of large granite rocks, the biggest being many fox-lengths long.

As her paws hit one gray slab after another, she wondered why Lightningstar had sent her here. Birds did touch down on top of the rocks, but it was too dangerous to go jumping after them. Normally, Sunpaw liked a bit of danger to spice up the ordinary, but the risk of losing her footing and falling hard on a large, pointy rock was a bit too much. Besides, with the sun rising, her pelt blazed brazenly against the mottled gray boulders, so much so that the most blind bird could see her coming.

When she thumped down from the last rock and back onto grass at the other end of the Valley, a powerful crow smell smacked her across the face. Peering around the maple that stood beside her, Sunpaw could it as it hopped across the ground. Flattening herself, Sunpaw judged the distance that lay between them. If she stayed under the shadow of the maple and moved quietly enough, she might be able to reach it with a good leap.

Moving as slowly as she could without wasting too much time, Sunpaw crept around the base of the maple. She didn't know how well crows could smell, so she hoped the nearby clump of blooming clover would be enough to disguise her scent. When she stopped, there was a distance of about three tail-lengths between her and the bird. It raised its wings, suddenly sensing the young cat, and Sunpaw threw herself at it. After a short struggle, the black bird died, and Sunpaw was left trying to shake off the feathers that stuck to her tongue.

;-;-;-;

As the sun moved further across the sky, the ThunderClan markers grew weaker and weaker; this was not an area that was diligently patrolled. As she brushed against a tall thistle, Sunpaw stopped, bent her head, and sniffed curiously. There was cat-scent around the base of the thistle, but it was so old that only a few traces of it lingered. Sunpaw could discern that the cat was male, not ThunderClan,older than she, and had not been in this area for over a half-moon.

A holly bush growing a fox-length over the border rustled suddenly; Sunpaw dropped to the shadows. As she watched, a long-bodied gray tom slipped out from among the spiky leaves. He kept his gaze trained on the ground. While he was not fat, he was plumper than most Clan cats; undoubtedly a loner who ate everything he caught. Following him with her eyes as he walked slowly along, Sunpaw tensed as the ash-gray tom halted and raised his head.

He looked left into the ThunderClan forest, but did not see the sun-furred apprentice. Hesitantly, he took two steps closer to the border, sniffed deeply, and took another step. Certain that this tom was about to intrude, Sunpaw shifted and prepared to attack the tom. He had taken enough steps forward as to have his forepaws on the dividing line between the two territories, but Sunpaw did not attack. Deep within her, an unusual feeling, almost an instinct, told her to leave the tom be.

As she rose from the ground, the sun broke through the clouds and struck her. The sudden blaze of golden-red attracted the tom's attention. As he met her gaze, Sunpaw found herself looking into deep, emerald-colored eyes.

Eyes that came extremely close to mirroring her own.

For several heartbeats, the two cats held the gaze of the other. Dimly, Sunpaw realized why she hadn't detected the tom before he stepped into her vision: the air was still. Not even the slightest breeze stirred the forest. With no wind to carry scents, neither cat had been able to smell the other.

She knew she should chase the tom off. But still she felt that thing inside herself, an almost-instinct to not harm the cat who stood before her. She was unable to move, and if she hadn't known better, she would have expected to see roots sprouting from her paws and anchoring her to the forest floor.

In a sudden flash, the gray loner whirled around and bolted back into his own territory. Some of his scent drifted over to Sunpaw, but as she sniffed, she could not identify the tom. Turning slowly, she padded deeper into her own land, remembering her purpose.

;-;-;-;

"Great StarClan! How'd you catch that?"

Near sundown, Icepaw came trotting up to the slope, holding his tail like a banner. From his jaws dangled an emerald-headed mallard. Setting it down, he said, "There was a whole flock of ducks at the Lake. This one was floating in the shallows." Upon closer inspection, Sunpaw could see his face, paws, and belly were wet, and water still dripped off his whiskers.

"That's quite the catch," meowed Sunpaw.

"It was really slow," he said modestly. "Besides, you caught a crow."

"Sure did," Sunpaw purred, raising her tail.

Icepaw rolled his eyes. "At least I had the decency to be modest."

"You expect me to be modest? Tell me, how long have you known me?"

Before he could answer, Lightningstar and Rainpaw came padding up the slope. The Clan leader was helping the white apprentice carry her prey, which, though it did not consist of a large bird like the other two, was still impressive in amount.

As the four cats paraded down the slope into the camp, they were greeted with appreciative mews and nuzzles as the Clan saw how much fresh-kill was being brought in. After the elders had been fed, Sunpaw, Icepaw, and Rainpaw settled down together outside the apprentices' den.

As they ate Sunpaw's crow, Lightningstar padded over. "You will all be going to the next Gathering," he told them. "Since all three of you performed spectacularly today, you will have the day off tomorrow, but you will have training the day after. Enjoy the rest."

Sunpaw laughed triumphantly, while Icepaw yowled, "Yes!" and Rainpaw purred loudly. As her gaze roamed over the camp, Sunpaw's eyes fell on Morning, who still sat silently outside Treeshadow's den. The sight of one gray cat reminded her of another, darker gray tom with deep green eyes. As she thought of the loner she had seen, his scent again filled the air around her, though she knew he was nowhere near the camp. The scent was still unfamiliar, but Sunpaw felt as though she should know it.

As she curled up to sleep, the tom stayed in her mind. Throughout the night, the gray tom followed her in her dreams, as did his scent. And still she did not know him.

;-;-;-;

_Dreaded is the day in which two who are kin meet each other's eyes_..._and each sees a stranger_.

-_Anonymous_

**A/N**: I thought I'd take this moment to say that while I appreciate your reviews more than I can say, I'd really like to know what I could improve on. I do like how I'm being told that my story keeps getting better, I truly do, but still...what isn't good? What could be better? Oh yes, to swing to a totally different topic, about the little warrior names discussion at the beginning of this, I do have warrior names chosen for all three of them. And no, Sunpaw will not be called Sunsnout.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N**: Sorry for taking a while to update; reality has been unpleasantly real. My spring break started, so I should have plenty of time to work now. As always, big thanks to reviewers for taking the time to leave your thoughts!

Ah yes...Icepaw being part of the prophecy? I've been waiting to see if that would come up. Read through the chapters and find out.

**Chapter Eight **

"Have you named them yet?" asked Rainpaw.

She and Sunpaw sat in the nursery, admiring Yellowflower's two newborn kits. The she-kit was a pale tawny color like her mother, while the tom had the same dark orange tabby pelt as Orangestripe.

"The she-kit is Softkit. The tom is Rustykit."

Sunpaw bent her head to sniff both kits. She knew, somewhere in the back of her mind, that she may well be mentor to one of these kits when they were old enough. Raising her head, she murmured her congratulations to Yellowflower and slipped out of the nursery.

Flexing her claws, Sunpaw swung her gaze around the camp. There was truly _nothing_ to do; the fresh-kill pile was well-stocked, the elders were content to bask in the sun, and all sun-high patrols had already left. As her emerald eyes roamed over to Treeshadow's den, she noticed the pale gray shape of Morning. The she-cat sat tall and straight as she always did, her amber eyes observing all that went on in the Clan.

Sunpaw watched the Tribe she-cat out of the corner of her eye, trying not to attract the gray cat's attention. It had been almost a quarter-moon since Sunpaw found her on ThunderClan's cliffs, and still she had not spoken the name of the midnight-pelted fox who was commanding the Tribe she had left.

_Tonight_, Sunpaw told herself. _Ask her tonight, after moonhigh_.

The sun-furred apprentice turned and padded out of the camp, sending herself on a hunting patrol.

;-;-;-;

"This tastes _vile_."

"This doesn't."

Sunpaw looked at Icepaw with a mock-irritated gleam in her eyes. "What say _I_ gather catmint next time and _you_ dig up the bluebell roots?"

The two apprentices had been assigned to help Treeshadow collect supplies. Their day off of training had passed uneventfully, and Sunpaw had been unable to talk to Morning at all. She had crept out of the apprentice's den at moonhigh as she had planned, but had found Hawkclaw sitting in the middle of the camp. She had kept one eye open, but before long, sleep had overcome her and she had stayed asleep until dawn.

Sunpaw was woken from her thoughts when a wave of catmint scent rolled across her nose. Icepaw had walked over to stand beside her, his head bent so he could lap up some stream water. Stretching her neck out to sniff his pelt, Sunpaw noticed the catmint scent clung heavilyto his fur.

"What did you do, roll in the catmint?" she asked him.

"Yes," he answered, lifting his head from the stream.

"You trying to impress somebody?" she said, half-seriously.

"Don't tell me you've never rolled in catmint."

"You're avoiding the question."

"I'm not."

"Now you're in denial."

With a good-humored snort, the silver-white tom shoved Sunpaw with his shoulder. Her eyes gleaming, Sunpaw shoved him in return, then turned her gaze back to the roots and catmint leaves they had gathered. It was nearly sunhigh, and they had been told to return before then.

"I'll do you a favor and carry your catmint back to camp. You can get the bluebell roots. They're much easier to hold."

"My thanks to you come from the deepest part of my soul."

"Do I detect a hint of sarcasm in your tone?" Sunpaw flicked her tail playfully.

"Your perceptive abilities astound me."

Sunpaw poked him sharply in his ribs with her forepaw. They walked back to camp in silence, but it was a comfortable silence borne from close friendship.

;-;-;-;

"Jaywing, Treeshadow, Quickriver, Roseleaf, Sorrelflower, Badgerclaw, Sunpaw, Rainpaw, and Icepaw," said Lightningstar, reeling off the names of cats who would be attending the Gathering. "Darkcloud, you will be senior warrior here." The black tom dipped his head.

Sunpaw, Icepaw, and Rainpaw all sat just outside the apprentice's den. Shadowpaw sneered at them; it was plain he was disgusted that they had been selected to attend the Gathering and he had not.

Nightpaw walked up to Sunpaw, her yellow eyes gleaming in the deepening darkness. "I never thanked you," she whispered.

Sunpaw started. "For what?" Nightpaw had almost never spoken to her; in fact, the only cats Sunpaw saw her speak to regularly were her mentor, Waterdrip, and Yellowflower. Come to think of it, the long-haired black she-cat rarely even talked to her brother.

"For helping me after the battle, when I couldn't walk to Treeshadow's den. Thank you."

It was on the tip of Sunpaw's tongue to tell the other apprentice that she had acted out of loyalty to the Clan, but something stopped her. "Y-you're welcome," she managed to say. She had assumed Nightpaw hated her as much as her brother Shadowpaw did, but now, as she met Nightpaw's pale yellow eyes, she saw something else: the black she-cat was simply extremely shy.

Nightpaw nodded in acknowledgment of Sunpaw's words, then turned and padded away.

Sunpaw turned and followed the rest of the Clan out of the camp, ready to attend her first Gathering.

;-;-;-;

"Be careful when you cross," Roseleaf cautioned them. The tortoiseshell she-cat lingered with the three apprentices at the back of the crowd.

The Meeting-Tree had four roots that were far longer and thicker than the rest. A stream flowed from each Clan's territory, and all four streams met at the Gathering place. An island stood in the middle of the great pool that was formed by the streams, one enormous root extending over the bank in each direction and into each Clan's territory.

The tree itself was a weeping willow. Some of its branches swept together, forming a wide platform for the Clan leaders to stand on. Sunpaw found the willow a thing of beauty; the smooth, pale gray bark, the thin branches trailing into the water in a way almost elegant, the razor-thin leaves.

Unsheathing her claws to better grip the slippery bark, Sunpaw padded across the thick root, slipped under the silvery branches, and stepped onto the grassy island.

RiverClan and WindClan had arrived already, and the two Clans were mingling with each other, exchanging news, greeting friends. Some of the RiverClan cats' pelts dripped water; they must have chosen to swim across the stream rather than walk over it.

"Now what?" Sunpaw asked out loud. Icepaw and Rainpaw stood on either side of her, neither knowing quite what to do either.

"Go and meet the apprentices of the other Clans," said Lightningstar, who sat beside them. "Talk to them, learn how they act, remember their style. This is the one time and place we meet in peace; outside the Meeting-Tree, we are all different Clans; we are all rivals. These are cats you will fight against one day."

"Lightningstar," meowed Sunpaw, turning to look up at her mentor, "will you tell the other Clans about the Tribe and the fox?"

He nodded. "If the other Clans have not been attacked by the Tribe, it would not be right to refrain from telling them of the danger. If Morning speaks the truth, then the Clans need to unite to fight the darkness." With that, he went to greet a dark brown-gray she-cat that looked like a Clan leader.

"That'll be a happy note to start a Gathering on, huh?" Sunpaw said.

"Shall we go and see the other apprentices, then?" asked Rainpaw, her pale blue eyes holding their usual worried look.

"I'm going to find Jaywing," mewed Icepaw. "Meet me later," he tossed over his shoulder, flicking Sunpaw's flank with his tail as he walked away into the throng of cats. The feel of his touch lingered, and Sunpaw felt a brief, happy prickle where his tail had brushed her fur. Shaking it off, she said to Rainpaw, "I'm going to talk to those RiverClan apprentices."

"I'm coming," Rainpaw said immediately. In a low voice, she said, "I'll admit, I'm nervous around so many cats from different Clans. Especially after the Tribe attack. I keep thinking they'll come bursting in here...," her voice trailed off.

"We're fine," Sunpaw told Rainpaw, giving her friend's cheek a reassuring lick.

"Hi," Rainpaw greeted the couple of RiverClan apprentices. One was a pretty she-cat, her fur mottled gray and brown, her eyes dark green. The other was a tom, but the two smelled too different from one another to be siblings. His spotted gray tabby pelt was longer than his companion's, and his eyes were amber.

"I know you," the tom said abruptly, his gaze fixed on Sunpaw. "You're the one who told Oakfur he had crossed over the boundary line." Before Sunpaw could speak, the tom plowed on. "Oakfur wouldn't do that. He's my mentor, and-,"

Thrusting her face in the tom's, Sunpaw growled, "I told him he was _nearly_ over the boundary line."

The tom's eyes glinted. "You're the half-blood ThunderClan cat. Whatever you say is a lie." With that, he whipped around and stalked away.

"I'm sorry about him." The she-cat spoke up for the first time. "Rockpaw...well, he's defensive, you might say."

"I can think of several things I could also say," growled Sunpaw.

"I'm not too fond of him either," the she-cat admitted. "I'm Pinepaw."

"I'm Sunpaw, and this is my friend, Rainpaw." Pinepaw and Rainpaw nodded in greeting.

"Treeshadow's over there," Rainpaw whispered. "I'm going to see if he'll take me to meet the other medicine cats." Sunpaw nodded as the white she-cat trotted off.

Once Rainpaw had disappeared, Pinepaw leaned in closer to Sunpaw. "I've heard about you," she began.

"Yeah, I expect you have," Sunpaw said bitterly. "The birth of a half-blood must make great news for a Gathering."

"No, listen," the she-cat said. "I know how you feel. Neither of my parents are RiverClan."

In spite of herself, Sunpaw felt a prick of interest. _Someone like me,_ she thought. _Out of all the cats, someone who probably knows how I feel._ "So, your parents are rogues?"

"Loners. My mother has joined RiverClan, but she's not here tonight. My father...well, I've never seen him, I don't know his name, and my mother never told me what he looks like. I don't even know where his territory is."

"Roseleaf is my mother," Sunpaw said. "Do you know her?"

"The small tortoiseshell with amber eyes?"

"Yeah." Sunpaw believed Pinepaw when she said she wasn't Clanborn. The brown-gray she-cat lacked the sleek, dense fur and webbed feet all RiverClan cats possessed; that alone would be enough for any cat to tell RiverClan blood did not run in her veins.

The four leaders had gathered on the sweeping platform, and Lightningstar had called for silence.

"Maybe I'll see you another time," Pinepaw said. "'Bye."

"See you," Sunpaw returned. She weaved her way through the cats to sit beside Icepaw. As Lightningstar told the other Clans about the Tribe attacking, Hickorystar, the tom who led ShadowClan, stepped up and added to the news.

"We, too, have been attacked by strange cats who were led by a black fox. The cats that came wounded our Clan badly, but there were no fatalities."

"We have seen a black fox lurking around our territory," said Waterstar. The RiverClan she-cat turned to Reedstar questioningly. The bracken-colored tom shook his head.

"None of my patrols have detected any trace of these cats. Or the fox." Turning to the other leaders, he dipped his head. "WindClan will keep careful watch on our borders."

Lightningstar spoke up again. "We must all keep careful watch on our borders. I feel a new danger rising in the forest, one that will threaten us all."

After a long silence, Lightningstar shared the news of Badgerclaw becoming a warrior and of Yellowflower's kits. When he finished, Waterstar stepped up and relayed similar news.

Sunpaw was barely listening. Lightningstar's words of rising danger had sent a chill through her, and she looked up at the sky through a break in the willow's branches.

_Holy StarClan_, she prayed, _watch over us, and stand by us all if danger should come._

;-;-;-;

**A/N**: Okay, so this chapter didn't get us very far plot-line wise, but the next chapter will. I couldn't find a suitable quote this time, so that's why it's absent from its usual place. I have read Starlight by now, but I'm not changing the landmarks or anything; I'd end up confusing myself. Hope to have chapter 9 up in a few days.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N**: Big big thanks to reviewers! The fact that there are people who keep reviewing, and that new reviewers keep coming, really gives me a reason to continue writing! **Seiren no Kaze**, your guess is correct; we will be seeing more of Pinepaw. While she is not part of the prophecy itself, she will play a critical part in Sunpaw's life.

**Chapter Nine**

"Morning," Sunpaw hissed, trying to get the she-cat's attention. It was three nights after the Gathering, and Sunpaw finally had the stroke of luck to have a chance to talk to the Tribe warrior.

"Hmm?" murmured the gray she-cat sleepily.

"Morning!" Sunpaw said again, this time more irritably. She'd had a long day, and had nearly clawed off Shadowpaw's ears earlier.

"Sunpaw?" The she-cat's accent turned her name into 'Sanpaw'. Morning's amber eyes glowed in the moonlight.

"Yes. Me. Look, I need to ask you something."

The Tribe she-cat pushed herself up. "You may ask me, but keep well in mind I am a coward."

Sunpaw couldn't see how that mattered, but she plowed on. "The vixen who's commanding your Tribe. What is she called?"

Fear flashed in Morning's eyes. "I will not speak the name. It is against the custom of the Tribe to speak of things we fear, for the speaking draws them close."

Sunpaw didn't know if that was cowardly or smart. Either way, it wasn't the answer she was looking for. "Right. Then can you tell me if she has a name like we do? 'We' being the Clan?"

"More like a Tribe member, one would say."

"Like a Tribe member's full name, or their shortened name?"

"She is called like a Tribe member's shortened name."

_I suppose that gets me someplace, _Sunpaw thought. "Can you give me a word that means something close to the vixen's name?" she asked Morning.

The gray she-cat looked carefully around before answering, as though she were afraid someone would hear her. "Locked," she said, her voice barely audible.

"Locked," Sunpaw repeated, her tone carrying no inflection of a question. Morning gave many short, quick nods. Restraining sighing with great difficulty, Sunpaw nodded. "Thanks, then." Just as she had turned to go back to the apprentice's den, Morning's voice stopped her.

"Wait." Sunpaw turned and padded back over to stand in front of Morning again. "I feel I should tell you this. Before I ran away, the Tribe of Endless Hunting visited me in sleep. Speaking quietly, they said to me that sun would help me find my way."

It took a few moments for Sunpaw to register her words. "You think they meant me?" Morning gave more short, quick nods. Searching for the right words, Sunpaw meowed, "To take a leaf from Icepaw, I'll say that it may be better to wait before you reach any conclusions."

As she turned away for the second time and slipped into the apprentice's den, Sunpaw thought about what Morning had told her. _Locked_. What in the name of StarClan did she mean?

;-;-;-;

Sunpaw padded alongside Rainpaw and Sparrowbeak, following Lightningstar and Mudspeckle. Shadowpaw walked flanking the Clan deputy, looking, as he did every heartbeat of the day, arrogant. The six of them made up the sunhigh RiverClan border patrol, and Sunpaw wanted something to happen. The air was warmer than it had been, and thicker, and the whole day had been quiet and sleepy. It was as if the forest was holding its breath, waiting for something nameless.

A soft breeze swept through, carrying scents of the surrounding area. Mouse, rabbit, and RiverClan, though the latter was to be expected this close to the border. _And something else_, Sunpaw thought, lifting her nose in the air. The faintest trace of something...almost rearing up on her hind legs to fully catch it, Sunpaw identified the scent with a small jolt.

"Fox scent on the breeze," she announced to the patrol. The others all stopped and raised their heads as she had done; Rainpaw and Mudspeckle nodded in agreement, but Shadowpaw turned to Sunpaw and snorted.

"No, there isn't. That's RiverClan."

The breeze grew stronger, as did the fox scent it carried. _A kit could pick it up,_ Sunpaw growled silently. Out loud, she spat at Shadowpaw. "Fine. Keep telling yourself that. When it comes walking out of the bushes, I'm going to laugh."

"Sunpaw," warned Lightningstar. Giving Shadowpaw a scorching glare, Sunpaw stepped to her mentor's side.

"There's also Tribe scent," meowed Mudspeckle. The mottled brown tom turned to Lightningstar. "Do we stand and fight if they come, or do we go back to camp?"

Lightningstar opened his mouth to better identify the scents. "There are four cats and the fox," he said. "We are three warriors and three strong apprentices. If they intend to attack us, we will meet them." Sunpaw glanced at Rainpaw; her gray-tailed friend feared the fox more than any other cat in ThunderClan. Rainpaw's pale blue eyes held their usual worried look, but she stood with her muscles tensed and claws slightly unsheathed.

After more than a minute of waiting in silence, a nearby holly bush rustled. Like a liquid, the black fox slipped smoothly out from behind the bush and stood before the six ThunderClan cats. The sun broke through the trees, creating a pool of light around it. From either side of the holly bush stepped two cats, their eyes glinting. All four cats were built like Morning was: short-bodied and muscular, with stocky legs and wide paws.

Sunpaw suppressed a shiver.These Tribe cats were built for combat, and she wished that Jaywing had come along with the patrol. For a moment, both groups stood in silence, each staring at the other. Then the fox spoke.

"I know you, Lightningstar, leader of ThunderClan." The vixen had a voice that sounded similar to the shrieka tree made when it wasbeing ripped up from its roots. It made Sunpaw's neck fur stand on end, and she felt Rainpaw shudder next to her. "Also Mudspeckle, Sparrowbeak, Shadowpaw, Rainpaw, and half-blooded Sunpaw."_ Great StarClan, does she know every cat in ThunderClan?_

"Leave our forest now," said Lightningstar, "and we will not attack you."

The midnight-coated vixen gave a high-pitched bark of laughter. "We will not leave, Lightningstar. The forest is ours for taking."

"Leave," said Mudspeckle, taking a step forward to emphasize his point.

The fox's eyes glittered. "This land is ours," she said, also taking a step forward. "And the Tribe will chase every Clan cat over the mountains if we must."

"You underestimate us," Sunpaw said, and the vixen's eyes locked onto her. "We will not flee. If you mean to battle us, each Clan will stand and fight."

The vixen gave a barking laugh again. "Then each Clan will be destroyed." As she said the final word, she flicked her bushy tail. The four Tribe cats who stood flanking her sprang as one at the ThunderClan cats.

Sunpaw and Rainpaw leapt to meet one of the Tribe cats as one. Sunpaw recognized the cat as the dark brown tom that had been present when the Tribe invaded the ThunderClan camp. Snarling, she raked her claws down his flank as Rainpaw darted around him, nipping his legs.The Tribe tom danced from paw to paw, trying to smack Rainpaw, but the white apprentice was built for speed, and she easily dodged his attempted blows.

The tom whipped around and slashed at Sunpaw's shoulder. His claws met with her flesh, and when he pulled back, a deep cut extended from Sunpaw's shoulder to halfway down her foreleg. Snarling, Sunpaw sank her teeth into the tom's leg, cuasing him to pull away, only to run straight into Sparrowbeak.

A noise rose above the snarling of the cats, a high-pitched noise that was halfway between a bark and a howl. Sunpaw saw the fox standing with her muzzle in the air, emitting the strange sound. Almost instantly, a stream of more Tribe cats flowed from across the borderline that separated ThunderClan and RiverClan territories.

"Seven more of them coming for us!" screeched Mudspeckle.

"Sunpaw!" called Lightningstar. She saw him crouching on the ground. "Run back to camp and bring more cats!"

"I can fight!" Sunpaw insisted.

His eyes blazed, and for the first time, Sunpaw saw anger in them. "That was not a request, Sunpaw, that was an order from your mentor and leader!"

Sunpaw was fired up from the battle, and she had half a mind to refuse. Common sense as well as instinct to obey her Clan leader won, however, and she dipped her head quickly, tore away from the fight, and pelted for camp.

She ran faster than she ever had, becoming less a cat and more a golden-red bolt shooting through the mid-newleaf forest. Her paws pounded on the ground so hard pain lanced up her legs, but she did not slow her pace. In one gigantic leap, she was down the rock steps that led into the camp. Startled, every cat who was present hissed, thinking for a moment she was an intruder.

Her flight had left her gasping for breath, and she could hardly stammer out, "St-tar Lake. T-tribe and fox. Need w-warriors." Darkcloud, who was nearest, turned to face the Clan and called out names, which Sunpaw barely heard. Her heart thudded so hard she thought it might burst out of her fur, and only when she saw Darkcloud looking at her expectantly did she realize he was waiting for her to lead the way.She turned and ran back along the path she had taken, leading the Clan to the battle.

The fight was still going strong, and Sunpaw knew she had gotten the patrol to them just in time. Without pause, she charged into the fox's flank. The force of her body knocked the vixen flat, and she sank her teeth into the deep black fur. Before ten heartbeats had passed, a Tribe cat sank her teeth into Sunpaw's scruff and hauled her off their leader. The cat who had removed Sunpaw from the vixen ran her claws over the apprentice's face. Yowling, Sunpaw recoiled, and her attacker rammed her head into Sunpaw's ribs.

Sunpaw lay on the ground, all breath gone from her body and unable to draw more. When she managed to suck in air, a strong fish scent washed over her scent glands. _RiverClan?_

A RiverClan patrol rushed in to help, sending droplets of water spinning from their pelts. The Tribe, startled by the sudden arrival, tore away from the two Clans. As they fled through the trees, away from Clan territory, the vixen lingered. Her cold stare swept past every cat and landed on Lightningstar.

"Remember my purpose, Lightningstar. If the Clans do not surrender, the Tribe will destroy you, one by one." Deliberately, she turned and vanished into the bushes.

Once she had gone, Lightningstar, his flanks heaving, turned to face Waterstar. Dipping his head, he meowed, "ThunderClan thanks you, Waterstar."

The silver tabby returned the gesture of acknowledgment from one Clan leader to another. "We have been allies in past moons, Lightningstar, and your Clan has helped mine. I see it as only fair to return what you have done for me."

Lightningstar nodded, and he looked at each RiverClan cat. The only one Sunpaw recognized was Pinepaw; she raised her tail in greeting to the mottled she-cat. Pinepaw returned the greeting, but hurried after Waterstar when she turned to swim back across the lake.

After the last RiverClan cat had slipped into the water, Lightningstar beckoned with his tail.

"We must go back to camp and tell the rest of Clan the Tribe is back."

"But Lightningstar, what are we going to do?" asked Mudspeckle. "If we could convince the other Clans to join together, maybe we could fight against them. The Tribe has already proven that they're...well, incredible in battle. While all four Clans banded together would give the forest strength in numbers, skill in combat almost always wins over numbers."

Lightningstar shook his head. "I don't know, Mudspeckle. Perhaps StarClan will give Treeshadow a sign at the quarter-moon."

The Clan deputy nodded. "StarClan will. They wouldn't abandon us if we were in trouble."

Sunpaw hoped he was right.

;-;-;-;

"The most we can do right now is speed up the training of the apprentices and keep careful watch," Lightningstar told the Clan from the Hightree. "Treeshadow, have StarClan given you a sign at all?"

"Nothing, Lightningstar. I have had no dreams."

The black-and-white tom nodded. "For now, we can only wait. This Clan meeting is over." He jumped down from the Hightree and went to talk with Treeshadow and Mudspeckle. The rest of the Clan broke off into small groups, murmuring about what was to come. Sunpaw, who had been told to stay with Treeshadow for the remainder of the day, turned to Morning.

"Did the vixen say anything about gathering more cats outside of the Tribe?"

"You mean like recruiting cats to fight with her? No. She said nothing of the sort when I still lived with the Tribe."

Sunpaw nodded. It bothered the gray she-cat to just mention the Tribe or the fox, and nothing would really be gained by asking her questions about the Tribe anyway. Slowly, she extended herinjured foreleg and began washing the blood off her fur.

;-;-;-;

Sunpaw stood in the forest. It was moonhigh, and the trees cast shadows all over the ground. Slowly, each shadow grew and twisted, gaining shape and depth. As she watched, Sunpaw saw each shadow become a fox with a pelt black as night. Her heart pounding, she was unable to move as the dozens of foxes circled her, barking and snapping their jaws. Suddenly, all the foxes but one vanished, and from behind the one that remained came Shadowpaw.

Was it Shadowpaw? This tom was older than the black apprentice, and almost as large as the fox it stood beside. But as the tom raised his head, Sunpaw saw the dark orange eyes and knew it to be him. The two black figures, fox and cat, stood watching Sunpaw. There was a flash of blinding light; Sunpaw closed her eyes against it. When she opened them, Shadowpaw and the fox were gone. In their place stood a different tom, his flame-colored pelt shining in the moonlight.

_"Beware the shadows."_

Sunpaw jerked her head up to see the first streaks of dawn showing on the horizon.

;-;-;-;

_Wise men don't need advise. Fools won't take it._

-Anonymous

**A/N**: I _know_ somebody said the quote I included for this chapter. I know it. I've practically been bashing my head trying to think of who, but it _will not_ come to me. Next chapter up soon, I hope.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N**: Thanks to reviewers! **Seiren no Kaze**, sure, call me Eclipse! It's easier than typing my full 'name'. **Quiet Shadow**, I'm honored you like this fic so much. (Benjamin Franklin! Yes! Thank you!) Heck, I'm honored that all my reviewers like this fic.

**Chapter Ten**

A half-moon had passed since the Tribe had attacked at the Star Lake. Most of the Clan were on edge, unsheathing their claws when they patrolled, scenting the air every few minutes. The warm, bright weather almost seemed to mock the Clans and the threat they had to deal with.

Sunpaw trotted beside Lightningstar, who led the way to a stream on the far side of ThunderClan territory where he would begin to give her battle training. She'd heard him speaking with Mudspeckle that morning about making Shadowpaw and Nightpaw warriors in about another half-moon.

"That's only three moons of training," the deputy had said. "Apprentices almost always go through four moons of training, sometimes a little less. But gaining a warrior name after barely three moons? And you tell me that you're ordering the three youngest begin battle training now. They haven't even been apprentices for two moons yet, Lightningstar. In fact, they shouldn't have had their assessment when they did."

"You cannot deny what will come in moons ahead, Mudspeckle. You yourself said that the Tribe are powerful fighters. If there is to be war, all cats must be prepared. And Shadowpaw and Nightpaw are strong cats."

"Darkcloud is their father, and it is to be expected his children will be as strong as he," Mudspeckle admitted. "And they are. I just think you may be speeding things up too much, Lightningstar. Making events come too quickly."

The black-and-white tom sighed. "I value your opinions and thoughts, Mudspeckle. But if war is come, it may be better that we speed things up."

"Speeding things up may lead to warriors with weak battle skills," countered Mudspeckle. "Becoming a warrior is meant to be a slow task, Lightningstar. Every strength and weakness of each apprentice must be taken into account, and time must be taken to strengthen weaknesses. Speed doesn't always win the fight."

"You will make a fine leader when my time is over, Mudspeckle," said Lightningstar. "A fine leader who will rule this Clan well. Until that time comes, my decisions will be what rules ThunderClan." The deputy, understanding the finality in Lightningstar's tone, dipped his head in respect.

As she replayed the conversation in her mind, Sunpaw realized there were two questions she'd meant to ask her mentor some time ago. "Lightningstar, who was your last apprentice?"

"My last apprentice was Jaywing, and before him, Hawkclaw." He glanced at her. "There's something else you wanted to ask me," he stated.

Sunpaw started. It was as if he could see into her mind, and she didn't like the idea. "Yeah. What was your warrior name?"

"Lightningeyes. Before I received my warrior name, many of my denmates were of the opinion I should be called Lightningclaw, due to my efficiency in battle." He said the latter with no trace of pride, only a tone of simply stating facts.

"Lightningeyes doesn't have quite the same ring to it as Lightningstar." In fact, Sunpaw found it hard to imagine her leader being called anything but Lightningstar.

"Probably because you have never heard me referred to as anything but my current name." He sat down on a thick clump of grass; they had reached the stream. He flicked his tail to indicate that he wanted Sunpaw to stand at the other end of the small clearing. As she did, he went on to add, "It is an odd feeling to have your name changed. For a few days you feel as if you don't know yourself."

"Do you have warrior names chosen for all the apprentices?" Sunpaw asked him.

He nodded, but said nothing. _Can't expect him to tell me what our future names are going be, _thought Sunpaw.

After Sunpaw had sat down, Lightningstar spoke again. "As you have noticed, Sunpaw, the training of apprentices is being sped up. Normally, Rainpaw, Icepaw, and yourself would not begin battle training for another few quarter-moons." He took a deep breath. "Already you have proven yourself to be a skilled, quick, and fierce fighter. One day you will meet an enemy who will prove difficult to strike down. It is my duty to prepare you for that day." He stood. "Attack me."

Sunpaw shifted her weight to her haunches and rocked from side to side, finding her center of balance. After a heartbeat, she shot forward, charging headlong towards Lightningstar. Seconds before she reached him, Lightningstar stepped nimbly to one side; Sunpaw braced her paws against the ground to stop. Whipping around, she began to raise a forepaw to strike her mentor; before she could do so, Lightningstar reared up and dropped his weight on her. After a few moments, he stood and backed away.

Winded and humiliated, Sunpaw scrambled to her feet. Before she could make another move, Lightningstar called, "Consider your attacks. In battle, one wrong move could cost you your life."

Sunpaw's nature urged her to disregard the idea of waiting and considering, but she knew that if she repeated the charge attack her mentor would simply sidestep again. Flattening herself to the ground, she narrowed her eyes and stalked across the clearing. When she reached Lightningstar, he copied her crouch and bared his teeth. Sunpaw stopped, waited a moment, and threw herself at her leader.

Lightningstar must have expected her to try and strike him with her forepaw again, because he had begun to rear up a second time just as Sunpaw leapt at him. He had been half upright when Sunpaw lunged, so she hit him square in his belly. The force of her body hitting his sent Lightningstar crashing to the grass. Eye to eye with him, Sunpaw stepped off his ribs and backed up a few paces, her green eyes gleaming.

Rolling to his feet and shaking his coat, Lightningstar nodded at her. "Well done," he mewed. "Very well done." His whiskers twitching, he added, "My turn now."

;-;-;-;

Sunpaw dreamed that night.

She stood on a high mountain peak, looking down at the forest that lay beyond the snow and rocks. A harsh cry spilt the air, and Sunpaw tilted her head upward to see a hawk circling overhead. In one smooth movement, it turned in the sky, folded its wings, and dived straight for her. At the last moment, it veered away from Sunpaw and rose in the air again. Sunpaw looked at her feet, and saw the hawk had deposited a small, delicate rose. As she looked at it, the rose shriveled and turned from deep crimson to black.

Frightened, Sunpaw turned her gaze back to the hawk, which flew in lazy circles again. Far down below on the rocks and ice, the midnight-coated vixen barked, her ice-blue eyes standing out against her dark coat.

;-;-;-;

Sunpaw jerked her head up, feeling disoriented for a moment. From a hole in the den wall, she could see that it was barely dawn. Standing and stretching, she stepped out of the den and sat down.

She'd concluded by now that StarClan _was_ communicating with her through dreams. The trouble was, she didn't have clue as to what this most recent dream meant.

_Would be a heck of a lot easier if StarClan, for once, came out and said what's going to happen, _she thought. Licking her lips, she walked over to the creek that ran by Lightningstar's den. Bending her head to lap up some water, she swivelled her ears when she heard another cat approach. Sorrelflower sat down beside her, also dipping her head to drink.

"Hello, Sunpaw," mewed the elder in her cracked voice when she finished drinking.

"Hi," said Sunpaw.

The tortoiseshell elder was about to say something else when a crow cawed somewhere nearby. Sorrelflower whipped her head in the direction of the noise, her tail tip twitching excitedly and the fur along her spine standing up slightly. Frowning, Sunpaw said, "It's just a crow, there's nothing to–,"

"Quiet!" whispered Sorrelflower. "I have to listen and see if I can find out where it is." As if on cue, the crow swooped down from wherever it had been perched and landed on the grass on the other side of the stream. Opening its beak, it cawed again, then spread its wings and flew away.

"Sorrow," said Sorrelflower once it had disappeared from view. Before Sunpaw could ask what in the name of holy StarClan she meant, the elder turned and slipped back into the elder's den.

_Sorrow? _Shaking her whole body, Sunpaw turned and went to wait for Lightningstar to wake up.

;-;-;-;

"I hate fishing."

"Small wonder. Your fur is the most absorbent I've ever seen. Granted, I haven't seen that many highly absorbent pelts, but still, my point stands."

Icepaw snorted in amusement, and Sunpaw turned her gaze back to the stream. Mudspeckle had sent the two of them to fish at the Birch Stream, a task which Icepaw set to grudgingly. His thick fur seemed to lock in water, and it took some time for it to become fully dry. Sunpaw was considering pushing him into the stream to annoy him, but, she figured, that would scare the fish away. Normally, ThunderClan did not fish, but with the many streams running through their territory, it seemed a waste to just leave all the fish alone.

A glimmer caught Sunpaw's eye, and she looked to see a fish swimming near the bank. Shifting closer to the water, she tensed, silently cursing the creature for taking so long to swim another half-tail-length closer so she could reach it. For several heartbeats, the forest was dead silent, so when the squawk of a crow shattered the quiet, Sunpaw jumped so hard she fell into the water.

Gasping from the cold of the water as she dragged herself out, Sunpaw glared at Icepaw, who was slumped on the ground laughing.

"Shut up," she growled, shaking the water off her fur. After a moment, Icepaw's laughter, which was on the edge of becoming hysterical, subsided as he pulled himself to a sitting position. Though he was restraining himself from laughing aloud, his body shook with the effort.

"Yes, hysterical. I'm going to push you into the lake," said Sunpaw, who was struggling to gather what scraps of dignity she still had.

"Oh, come on," said Icepaw, still half-laughing, "admit, that was funny. For once, can you forget about your stupid pride?"

"Never," replied Sunpaw, but she didn't bother to try and stop her whiskers from twitching. Shaking herself again, she sat down and started to lick herself dry.

"You just have an inability to laugh at yourself," he said, walking over and licking the fur around her shoulders.

"No, I have an inability to laugh when I fall into an ice-cold stream. I'll push you in, see how much you like it."

The crow squawked again, this time from a tree directly overhead. Sunpaw tilted her head up to look at it.

"I wonder if the rhyme has any truth behind it," said Icepaw, also seeing the crow.

"What rhyme?"

"The rhyme about counting crows," he said, and began to recite. "'One for sorrow, two for–,'"

"Oh, that one," interrupted Sunpaw. "Sorrelflower saw a crow this morning and said 'sorrow'. I only just remembered the rhyme and I've been trying to think about what she meant."

As the crow flew away, Icepaw murmured, "If the rhyme does have truth behind it, I'm not sure I want to find out what kind of sorrow is going to come."

;-;-;-;

Sunpaw stalked with her shoulders hunched and ears flattened, squinting her eyes against the driving rain. It was nearly sundown, and Lightningstar had sent her out to hunt again not long ago. Now, with the sheets of rain cascading down, it was next to impossible to see prey, much less scent it.

Readjusting her grip on the chickadee she'd been able to catch before the rainstorm of the century started, Sunpaw paused to shake a clod of mud off her foreleg. As the sludge flew of her fur, a branch of lightning flickered overhead, momentarily lighting up the woods. Following the lightning came a crash of thunder that nearly made the ground shake under Sunpaw's feet. Flinching from both the reaching claws of lightning and the booming thunder, Sunpaw swallowed and set off towards the camp at a near run.

Another bolt of lightning split through the sky, which had turned a thick, inky black from the clouds and rain. As the flickers of electricity again lit up the trees, Sunpaw saw a flash of dark brown fur shoot out from behind a bush. Despite the speed at which the cat ran, Sunpaw recognized the broad shoulders and thick legs. _Hawkclaw?_ Hawkclaw it was, and he ran straight past Sunpaw, his fur barely an inch from her muzzle, though he apparently did not notice her. As he disappeared into the undergrowth, a faint trail of his scent drifted over to Sunpaw. Breathing it in, her heart skipped several beats when she caught the scent of blood.

She looked in the direction that Hawkclaw had come from, and, acting on impulse as she always did, dropped her chickadee and ran over to the bush he'd emerged from. Before she reached it, she hit a swath of mud. Unprepared for the change in ground texture, Sunpaw slipped and landed on her flank, her cheek pressed against the ground. Slipping and sliding as she clawed her way back onto her feet, Sunpaw jumped over the rest of the mud patch to land at the bush Hawkclaw had bolted from.

Even through the murky scents of mud, rain, and her own wet fur, Sunpaw could smell blood, but she could not identify whose blood it was. Plunging through the dense bush, Sunpaw slammed to a halt when she saw a bundle of tortoiseshell fur laying in the mud in front of her.

"Sunpaw," said the tortoiseshell in a thin voice. It was Roseleaf. Her fur was spiky with rain and mud.

"Roseleaf," said Sunpaw in a shaky voice. "Mother?"

"I'm alive," mewed the dappled she-cat. Her reassurance was weak, though, for Sunpaw could see the blood pooling out a deep wound in her neck.

"You won't be," whispered Sunpaw, her voice squeaky. "I'll get Treeshadow."

"No time," gasped Roseleaf. "Things I must...must tell you be...fore I...," her voice trailed off, but her flanks still rose and fell faintly.

"You're not going to die!" hissed Sunpaw fiercely. "You're not allowed to die yet."

"I will. My time has come." Roseleaf sounded calm, though she knew she was leaving to StarClan. "Sunpaw, daughter, listen. You must find your father and tell him I love him. Tell him I'm sorry."

"I can't tell him if I don't know his name," whispered Sunpaw. There was no scorn in her voice. Her legs shook violently. Her mother was dying. All her pride and confidence and banter had disappeared. She felt weak, as if the rain was changing her muscles into water.

"Alexander," Roseleaf managed to say.

"That's his name?" asked Sunpaw. Roseleaf nodded. The small tortoiseshell moved her mouth, trying to talk, but all her life had almost gone, and she barely had the strength to beckon Sunpaw closer with her tail.

"It...was...h...," Roseleaf could not finish. Her amber eyes, which had always been bright, were dull, and her breath and fast and shallow.

"Hawkclaw?" said Sunpaw. Her mother flicked an ear. Rage coiled up in Sunpaw, only to wash away a moment later as Roseleaf exhaled shakily. Her small body jerked, her eyes closed, and she lay still.

Sunpaw's mother was dead.

A torrent of emotion flooded through Sunpaw. Raw grief for her mother, burning rage at Hawkclaw for murdering her, and cold realization.

The two crows that had appeared earlier that day. Each had appeared separately, giving the sign of sorrow. Sunpaw had seen them both. Squeezing her eyes shut, Sunpaw recited the old rhyme in her mind as she rose to her feet and began to walk back to camp. She couldn't carry her mother through the thick mud patches and slippery grass. She would go back to camp and say she'd found Roseleaf dead. She would give Lightningstar the details later.

As Sunpaw trudged mechanically back to camp, she kept repeating the old rhyme about counting crows in her mind as though her own life depended on it.

;-;-;-;

_One for sorrow, two for joy, three for girls and four for boys. Five for silver, six for gold, and seven for a secret never to be told._

–_Traditional_

**A/N**: I'm not going to apologize for killing Roseleaf, so don't tell me I need to. Chapter 11 might be slow in coming, because I go back to school this week.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N**: Thanks to reviewers, as always! **Simba's Other Daughter**, your interpretation of the prophecy is mostly correct; I won't say what part is off. As on Sunpaw's warrior name, that reminds me: I hope to give Sunpaw, Icepaw, and Rainpaw their warrior names in two chapters, maybe three. I really have to move time along, for the reasons of new apprentices, more trouble with the Tribe, more death, and new kits. **Lux Leroux**, I too really like the counting crows rhyme; I'd been looking for a way to fit it in.

Also, sorry for taking a while to update, but it took me three tries before I really got my feet under this chapter.

**Chapter Eleven**

"Hawkclaw killed her, Lightningstar."

The morning following Roseleaf's murder and burial, Sunpaw sat in Lightningstar's den. The sun was breaking through the thickly braided branches of the willow, and the warm weather seemed to be trying to push away the shadow of death.

Lightningstar blinked at Sunpaw. "Hawkclaw would not kill one of his own Clan, Sunpaw."

"I saw him running from the bush where I found her body!" hissed Sunpaw.

"Sunpaw, it was raining extremely heavily yesterday. You found Roseleaf in a muddy area. You cannot have properly seen the cat who was running."

"I _did_ see properly! Hawkclaw was running away from her body! He killed her!"

"Sunpaw," warned Lightningstar. His yellow eyes glittered. "You are making a serious accusation. Before you reached the camp last night with news of your mother's death, Hawkclaw came into the camp. He informed me he found Roseleaf's body laying under a bush when he was coming back from a short patrol. I sent him on that patrol." He stared hard at her. "Hawkclaw is a loyal ThunderClan warrior, Sunpaw, and he was once my apprentice. I know him, and he is not a killer."

Sunpaw sat with her claws unsheathed, staring at Lightningstar. Why wouldn't he believe her? She was his apprentice! His tone made it plain he would not discuss the matter any further, and, though not normally one to give up, Sunpaw dipped her head and turned to leave the den. Lightningstar called her back a moment.

"Go out and hunt, but stay away from where your mother died. Be sure you are back in camp by sundown." Sunpaw dipped her head again and pushed out of his den.

Squinting into the bright light, Sunpaw scanned the camp. Hawkclaw wasn't present; good. Jaywing and Sparrowbeak had taken Icepaw and Rainpaw out on patrol together, and Lightningstar had allowed Morning to accompany them. The Tribe she-cat was, slowly, unexpectedly, being accepted into Clan life.

Padding up the slope, Sunpaw wondered why she felt no grief about her mother's death. She had last night, yes, but today, all grief had vanished. In its place was cold anger at Hawkclaw, and now, utter disbelief that Lightningstar did not believe her when she told him who had murdered Roseleaf. She couldn't tell Rainpaw that Hawkclaw had killed Roseleaf; Rainpaw would fear the dark warrior. She should, as had now been proven, but still...some cat would ask her what the matter was, for Rainpaw was well-liked, and Rainpaw would tell whoever asked her that Sunpaw told her Hawkclaw was a murderer. _Heck of way to start cats talking,_ Sunpaw thought.

She couldn't tell the elder Sorrelflower, or Treeshadow. Both would go to Lightningstar, and then Sunpaw would get in trouble by Lightningstar for spreading accusations _he_ thought were false as far as the elders and medicine cat. Lightningstar was a fair leader, and he always listened to both sides of the story, but he did draw lines.

She wouldn't tell Morning, because though the gray she-cat was friendly with her, Sunpaw hardly knew her.

StarClan above, she couldn't even tell Icepaw. He would tell her he thought she was jumping to conclusions. Breaking the ties of logic. It was logical that a warrior would not kill one of his own Clan, and Icepaw's friend was logic.

Shaking herself, Sunpaw saw her paws had taken her to the lake. She must have passed by dozens of birds and rabbits as she wandered here, lost in thought. Stepping onto the pebbles that formed the bank of the lake, Sunpaw peered into the shallows to see if any fish swam within reach.

A familiar, fishy scent rolled across her nose, and she spun around to see the RiverClan apprentice Pinepaw slipping out of the reeds across the border.

"Mind the border line," Sunpaw called warningly. They weren't at a Gathering, so the nightlong truce was not present.

"And you," retorted Pinepaw. The mottled brown-gray she-cat sat on a clump of moss four tail-lengths away from the ThunderClan border. "Listen, Sunpaw, I know I'm RiverClan and you're ThunderClan and things are naturally rocky between our Clans, but–"

"Pinepaw, something happened in the Clan and I'm never in the mood to beat around the bush. What is it?"

Pinepaw's eyes flickered for a moment, but she got to the point. "Last night, I was on the evening patrol. We went near the Meeting-Tree, and I hung back for a minute to try for a mouse. I looked under the Tree's branches, and I saw the black fox sitting there. ThunderClan's been attacked by the fox and her gang more than we have, and I thought she might be up to something again."

Sunpaw flicked her tail in acknowledgment. "Thanks for telling me. RiverClan alright?"

Pinepaw drew herself up to her full height, her eyes glittering fiercely. "RiverClan is fine. We can defend ourselves."

"No need to get your tail in a twist. Just asking." After a few heartbeats, Pinepaw nodded and relaxed.

"I need to go," Pinepaw said abruptly, getting to her feet. "I'm on a hunting patrol."

"Mm. Me too. See you at the next Gathering, maybe."

"Right. 'Bye."

As Sunpaw turned and picked up the scent trail of a mouse, she wondered, briefly, why she was being friendly with a RiverClan cat. RiverClan and ThunderClan had always been a bit...well, tense, really, with each other. RiverClan had a reputation for stirring up trouble with boundary lines, trying to claim ThunderClan territory as their own...it was an ever-continuous dispute over territory.

_Goes to show you really _can't _choose who your friends are,_ thought Sunpaw as she pounced on the mouse and kicked loose dirt over it. _Friendships happen as easily as they fail._

She quickly fell back into her mood of wanting to injure Hawkclaw, and this mood seemed to spur her hunting ability.

;-;-;-;

Sunpaw entered camp just before sundown. She dropped most of her prey on the pile, and selected a fat young rabbit to bring to the elders. Greeting Sorrelflower with a raised tail, Sunpaw dropped the fresh-kill in front of the old tortoiseshell.

"Where's Barkfur?" she asked, naming the brown tom who was eldest in the Clan.

"That's a fat one," commented Sorrelflower in her rusty voice, meaning the rabbit. She added, "Oh, he's gone complaining to Treeshadow about his leg again. I don't see why it would be bothering him when the weather's nice and warm." When she was still a kit in the nursery, Sunpaw had heard Barkfur tell the tale of how a badger had attacked him and injured his left foreleg.

Sunpaw had mewed good-bye to Sorrelflower and had started on her own piece of fresh-kill outside the apprentice's den when Icepaw and Shadowpaw came hurrying into camp. Both carried prey; Shadowpaw practically threw his on the pile and stalked off. Icepaw dropped his fresh-kill, selected a robin, and collapsed beside Sunpaw.

"What were you doing hunting with Shadowpaw?" she asked.

He twitched his tail. "Mudspeckle made us hunt together," he muttered, tearing a wing off his robin. "I was about ready to pullShadowpaw's ears off." That was really saying something, Sunpaw knew; while Icepaw did not possess the never-ending patience of his sister Rainpaw, he certainly had more patience and tolerance for cats like Shadowpaw than Sunpaw did.

Looking sideways at him as he spit out feathers, Sunpaw desperately wanted to tell him about what Hawkclaw had done. Yet even as she thought about telling him, it felt as if StarClan themselves had reached down from the sky and clamped her mouth shut. Across the camp, Lightningstar leapt up onto the Hightree and called the summons. Rising and stretching, Sunpaw sat down near the head of the gathering cats; Icepaw settled on her left and Rainpaw, after she came scooting out of the nursery, sat beside her brother.

"Cats of ThunderClan," called Lightningstar, "we gather here tonight for two announcements. Firstly, there are two apprentices who deserve their warrior names. Come forward," he directed at Shadowpaw and Nightpaw as he jumped down into the center of the clearing. Both black cats stepped up from the line of warriors to stand before him. Shadowpaw cast a superior look over at Sunpaw, his lips curled back in a sneer. Sunpaw bared her teeth and held his glare until the black tom looked away.

"Nightpaw, Shadowpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your lives?"

"I do," said Nightpaw. Her shyness was gone for the moment, and her voice sounded clear and definite.

"I do," echoed Shadowpaw. It was plain he resented his sister had been named before himself.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names." Lightningstar's deep meow rang through the newly leafy trees, all his strength and authority as leader contained in his voice. "Nightpaw, from this moment you will be known as Nightwhisker. StarClan honors your forethought and your patience, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." Nightwhisker, her long black fur glinting in the fading light, bowed her head as Lightningstar rested his muzzle on it, then turned and took her new place with the warriors.

"Shadowpaw," said Lightningstar, turning to face the tom, "from this moment you will be known as Shadowfur. StarClan honors your strength and your battle skill, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." Shadowfur repeated the traditional movement his sister had done, then, looking more arrogant than ever before, also joined the warriors. He sat beside his mentor, Hawkclaw, and Sunpaw felt a strange jolt in her belly as she looked at the pair of them sitting there side by side. As the Clan chanted the names of the two new warriors, Sunpaw only called out Nightwhisker's name.

"Finally," said Lightningstar, once all had quieted down, "Waterdrip, who was an excellent mentor to young Nightwhisker, has announced that she will be moving into the nursery tonight." The silver tabby bowed her head shyly as the Clan called their congratulations to her. "This Clan meeting is over. Nightwhisker and Shadowfur, you will guard the camp alone tonight."

As the Clan slipped into their respective dens, Sunpaw cast a glance over at Shadowfur. "He wasn't too happy with Nightwhisker getting her warrior name first, was he?"

"He still isn't, by the look of him," murmured Icepaw, also glancing over.

"I'm just glad he's left the den now," Rainpaw whispered. "He always found a way to scare the fur of my tail, and he torments Nightwhisker all the time." She shivered. "I prefer to think the best of everybody, but he's just..." She didn't need to finish the sentence.

"We'll have to den with him again soon," Sunpaw reminded her as she settled into her nest. "In a few moons we're gonna be warriors. And the ceremony better be soon," she added, "because now we're the only apprentices and I want to be a warrior and have my own apprentice."

"Patience is a virtue," said Icepaw in a sing-song voice, knowing it would annoy her. Annoy her it did, and she swatted him with a forepaw.

As Rainpaw and Icepaw's breathing slowed, Sunpaw stayed awake. Hawkclaw's burning gaze kept appearing in her mind every time she drifted off; once she thought she caught his scent filtering through the den, something that jolted her into full awareness. When she finally was able to start to close her eyes without seeing the dark warrior in her mind, a silvery shaft of moonlight filtered in through the hole in the den wall. The cool beam of light landed on Icepaw, illuminating the silver in his fur.

As Sunpaw half-sighed, half-yawned, something stirred within her; a feeling of impatience, of wanting, but not for her warrior name.

;-;-;-;

_It's always the same, every single day: what we want now has to come later, and what we want later has to come now. Every single day, and I'm sick of it._

–_A.C._


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N**: Oh, reviewers, what would I do without you? **Seiren**, I do believe my face is fixed in a manic grin! Seriously, I can't express how grateful I feel for your words! (Oh, come on, don't beat down on yourself. I've read your Warriors fic; I'm just too damn lazy to actually review it.) **Creature of the Night**, Badgerclaw's mentor was Darkcloud. That's something I never mentioned; I had it in the allegiances in my look-up for maybe one day and then I made Badgerclaw a warrior. I'd started the fic and realized Badgerclaw didn't have a mentor, and I thought Darkcloud, being an older warrior, deserved an apprentice.

In all sincerity, to all my reviewers: I really do appreciate that you take the time to read this.

**Chapter Twelve**

"What do you want to do someday, Sunpaw?"

"Get off guard duty."

Rainpaw flicked her tail. "Come on. You know what I meant."

Sunpaw flexed her shoulders, which were growing stiff. Taking a deep breath of the cool night air, she answered, "Get an apprentice of my own...eventually have kits. Be recognized as a warrior of ThunderClan." She left the part about drawing Hawkclaw's blood unspoken.

"I want to know the secrets of StarClan," said Rainpaw, tilting her head to see through the now-thick leaves and look at the stars.

"If you want to know StarClan's secrets, why didn't you become a medicine cat?" asked Sunpaw, her usual sarcasm and exasperation gone.

Rainpaw shot Sunpaw a mildly amused glance and flicked her tail again. "Sunpaw, if there was a battle, I'd lose my mind. I'd panic. A medicine cat needs to keep calm during trouble, and I certainly don't."

"Well, at least you're honest."

The two sat in silence, ears pricked, eyes sharp, alert for any sign of trouble. Sunpaw braced her forepaws against the ground, stretching her legs. She sighed softly. The past three days had been uneventful, unless she counted watching Yellowflower's kits, Softkit and Rustykit, take their first few wobbly steps around the nursery. The creamy yellow queen was glad to have the new company of Waterdrip, who, according to Treeshadow, would give birth to her kits in about a half-moon.

Sunpaw shifted from one haunch to the other impatiently. Sitting nighttime watch was a dull task, and while she knew Sorrelflower would tell her to sit still and enjoy the sounds of the night, Sunpaw had things on her mind, things that jostled and crowded like sparrows, each trying for the best place.

She'd seen Shadowfur lurking around the Meeting-Tree two days before, on evening patrol. The flash of his dark fur and burning eyes had stayed in her vision for only a heartbeat before he slipped under the branches of the great willow, and no other cat had seen him. The wind had been blowing their scent towards Shadowfur, and Sunpaw had to admit he moved with a stealth that was exemplary even for a cat. She'd remembered Pinepaw warning her of the fox sitting under the willow, and Sunpaw found it highly unlikely it was a coincidence.

Hawkclaw seemed the same as ever, except more irritable and agitated. Icepaw had come back from hunting earlier that day to tell Sunpaw and Rainpaw he'd seen the mottled red-brown warrior baring his teeth at Shadowfur. In the same breath, the silver-white tom had also said it sounded like Hawkclaw was threatening his until-very-recently apprentice.

A rustle of leaves jarred Sunpaw from her thoughts. Tensing and unsheathing her claws along with Rainpaw, Sunpaw looked in the direction Rainpaw indicated with her gray tail. A heartbeat later, the long, whiskered snout of a possum poked out of a dense bush. Rainpaw sighed as the creature bumbled out of the bushes, its long, bald tail swishing through the grass.

Sunpaw fell back into thinking-mode again. It went to show how on edge many of the Clan were, if they were at the point where a nighttime possum visit startled them to the point of unsheathing their claws.

Claws. Hawkclaw.

Sunpaw shook herself. There were three cats she hadn't been able to get her mind off of for long periods of time, and the mottled warrior was one of them. It was worlds, if not universes, away from being any form of attraction; it was clinging thirst to avenge the death of Roseleaf.

The second cat was Shadowfur, and it too was in no way, shape, or form attraction. She recalled the dream she had had not too long ago, the one where dozens of black foxes had stalked around her before all but one vanished, and Shadowfur came up beside the remaining fox. Proud and self-assertive, even brash at times, Sunpaw was not stupid; no, she knew to heed warnings from StarClan.

The third cat was Icepaw. Sunpaw was young, not even four seasons, not even nine moons. She knew nothing of the word love, had only a vague knowledge that it meant a feeling of deep connection and care for another. She'd known Icepaw since she'd been old enough to comprehend speech and match sounds known as names with cats. She'd spent six moons in the nursery with him and Rainpaw as her only playmates, as Shadowfur had disdained them and Nightwhisker had been-still was-unmeasurably shy. If Sunpaw had ever heard Sorrelflower say that proximity was the starter of relationships...

But she'd never heard the tortoiseshell elder say that, and had no comprehension of the word love. All she knew was that she'd been...well, _noticing _him more often. She knew her fur prickled pleasantly when he brushed against her, liked it when he came over in the evenings and licked the fur around her ears as a way of greeting. Liked the glimmer in his deep velvet-blue eyes.

Sunpaw did not believe StarClan determined the fate of every cat. She believed in StarClan, yes, but not that they knew every step of the path of a cat's life. What she believed was that a single falter or mistake, a wrong word or action at exactly the wrong time, could-and did-change everything. One action or word determines the next. Many possible scenarios, only one outcome determined by the action a cat took. In battle, the smallest falter could cause the ultimate fall. Which was why Sunpaw, if she had comprehension of the word love, would not believe that it was fate that she would, as she knew Rainpaw would put it, "fall in" with Icepaw.

Sunpaw shook herself. It was going to be a long night.

;-;-;-;

Sunpaw sat outside the den, sharing a magpie with Rainpaw. They were having, as many toms put it, "she-cat time" together. It was just barely sunhigh, and the air was already hotter than it had been lately. Every day carried more heat on the breeze, more scents of plants flowering. As Rainpaw glanced across the camp, she suddenly stopped mid-word.

"What?" asked Sunpaw, trying to follow her gaze.

Rainpaw had already turned back to the magpie. "Badgerclaw rubbing his nose on Nightwhisker's cheek," she said with a shrug. "Kind of surprised me for a minute."

"_What?_ Badgerclaw is showing affection?" asked Sunpaw, trying to see the mottled gray warrior as she craned her neck, not caring how flat-out obvious she was being. "With Nightwhisker? What does she see in him, pray tell?"

Rainpaw stared at her. "You're jumping to conclusions rather quickly, aren't you?" she said around a mouthful of feathers.

Sunpaw flicked her ears. "Who are you, Icepaw and Lightningstar? I get told I'm jumping to conclusions twice a day by both of them." She took a bite of magpie. "Look, Rainpaw, when a cat like Badgerclaw starts rubbing his nose on Nightwhisker's cheek, something tells me they've..." she couldn't find the right word. "Help me out here," she said to Rainpaw.

"Fallen in?" suggested the white she-cat.

"Yes. Thanks." She watched as the warriors in context padded out of the warrior's den together, up the slope, and out of camp.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, finishing the magpie, and started sharing tongues. Darkcloud strolled past, heading for the fresh-kill pile.

"That reminds me," said Sunpaw. "You seen Shadowfur anywhere today?"

Rainpaw thought for a moment. "No," she answered. "Last time I saw him was last night, before I went to sleep. He was talking to Hawkclaw."

Sunpaw frowned. She didn't like this. Since gaining his warrior name, the black tom had been in camp less and less frequently, and no cat could convince her he was just out hunting. She remembered seeing him slipping under the Meeting-Tree a few days earlier, the same place where Pinepaw had seen the fox.

Before she could say anything, Lightningstar called her name. "Gotta go," she said to Rainpaw. The small white she-cat mewed good-bye as Sunpaw trotted over to her mentor and leader.

As she dipped her head in greeting, Sunpaw glared scorchingly at Lightningstar's white feet. Depending on the cat and the offense, Sunpaw could forgive in either less than ten minutes or never. With Lightningstar, her own leader and mentor, who she had begun to look to as a sort of foster father, not believing her about Hawkclaw, she wasn't ready to forgive just yet. Most of the anger at Lightningstar had dissipated, but Sunpaw had a tendency to hold grudges.

"Come," said the black-and-white tom after returning the head-dip. "We are going hunting." His tone made it plain that he would also be telling her something along the way, and Sunpaw told him so.

He met her gaze, lightning-yellow eyes fixed on emerald-green. After a heartbeat, he sighed. "I don't know where you get your intuition, Sunpaw, but it serves you well. Yes. There is something I want to tell you." Beckoning with his long tail, he sat down under the shade of a towering hickory. Sunpaw stood in front of him, waiting for him to speak.

"As you know, Sunpaw, I am not a young cat. I have been leader of ThunderClan for many seasons." He was leaning forward and whispering, as though he thought the hickory was trying to listen in. "As of right now, Treeshadow is the only cat who knows this. I have not told Mudspeckle." Sunpaw twitched her tail; Mudspeckle was, after all, Lightningstar's deputy and friend. "I want to tell you that I am on my last life."

The gentle breeze that had been wafting through the trees stopped abruptly, as though the forest had just gotten the breath startled out of it. Sunpaw gaped at him, trying to speak. She knew the leader of her Clan was old, yes, had seen many battles and harsh winters, but was he really so old as to have only one of his nine lives remaining? Clearly, Lightningstar felt a need to explain.

"Many seasons ago," he said, "the forest suffered what was quite possibly the worst leaf-bares ever known. Many cats died, from cold, starvation, disease...I was one of those cats. I lost a life at the claws of all three."

Sunpaw stared at him. A young, strong leader losing three lives in one leaf-bare? "What did Treeshadow do?" she demanded. "He was still medicine cat then, wasn't he?"

Lightningstar shook his head. "I had been leader for only one moon when the leaf-bare came. Treeshadow was still Sleetwind's apprentice. Treeshadow was abouteleven moons."

"So what did this Sleetwind do? If he was the medicine cat–"

"It was the most difficult leaf-bare ever known to have happened," Lightningstar interrupted. "He had no herbs. His collected stock dwindled fast. He, and all the other medicine cats, could literally do nothing but watch and give words of hope." The black-and-white tom paused. "I was young then, Sunpaw, and over the seasons I have lost lives in battles, accidents, and in other leaf-bares.

"Do not worry about my being on my last life, young Sunpaw. It will be alright. Now come. The Clan needs fresh-kill."

It could not have been more clear to Sunpaw that she was not to tell anybody what she had learned.

;-;-;-;

Sunpaw kept in perfect step with Lightningstar. Icepaw flanked her, and Rainpaw trotted on Lightningstar's other side. Jaywing brought up the rear.

Lightningstar had decided to take ThunderClan's only apprentices to see the Silverstone; the necessary trip all apprentices made. He had picked a good day for it: the crystal-blue sky was clear of clouds, a gentle breeze swept through the forest, and the air was as it had been; comfortably warm. Bright splotches dotted the green foliage; tiny blue flowers on bushes, flame-red tulips standing out against the dark tree trunks, giant white and orange lilies spreading along the streambanks.

The bitter traveling herbs Treeshadow had given them all made Sunpaw's stomach squeeze and twist; the herbs were certainly doing their job of preventing hunger. The golden sun had sunk low in the sky, but no streaks of sunset yet showed.

Lightningstar led the patrol towards the sun-drown-place, as Sunpaw had known he would. She remembered her first day out as an apprentice, when her mentor had told her leaders and medicine cats reached the Silverstone by means of a path near the cliffs. _Wonder if we'll go down the same rock path I did when I found Morning,_ Sunpaw thought. She doubted it.

Sure enough, she was not surprised when, once the breeze carried threads of salt and the rush of the ocean could be heard, Lightningstar veered to his left, taking a route away from the cliffs. The grass along this trail was well-beaten, crushed almost completely to nothing but dust after so many generations of paws walking it. Icepaw shot a glance at Sunpaw, his deep blue eyes glinting excitedly. Sunpaw herself was feeling energetic, despite the two main thoughts crashing around her mind.

For starters, Lightningstar being on his last life still had her...well, shocked was the closest word. Somehow, though, she'd known, although her leader did not entirely look his age.

For second, she wondered if she would see any shadow-cats at the Silverstone. The first one, the gray one with the limp, she'd seen at the cliffs. The second one she had seen more frequently: a regal tom with flaming fur and deep green eyes, who had appeared to her twice in dreams. The Silverstone was the voice of StarClan, after all; surely shadow-cats walked there, protecting it from harm?

Scents of the other three Clans washed over Sunpaw's scent glands; scents of the medicine cats. The half-moon had not been that long ago. While she had been thinking, Sunpaw had lagged behind a little. As if this damaged her dignity somehow, she spurred herself on, her muzzle directly behind Lightningstar's tail as he padded lightly down a steep, rocky slope bare of grass.

Her pulse quickened as the ocean appeared from around a sharp bend in the slope. The strange, gray-and-white birds called seagulls reeled overhead, making no attempt to break away from the strong wind currents. Tiny brown birds, no taller than halfway up Sunpaw's leg, skittered along where the waves lapped at the nearly-white sand. Rainpaw squeaked with excitement, and Icepaw's long, feathery tail waved banner-like in the wind. Sunpaw realized that both her friends had been here only once before, just over two moons ago on their first day as apprentices.

"We will rest here until sundown," said Lightningstar, and he settled down on a wide, flat stone that sat just off the rocky path. Sunpaw jumped down from the slope and trotted down the sand, holding her tail in the air. She really needed to find a way to get down here more often; it was just so different from the forest, and she liked the change of surroundings.

With a slight prickle, she thought she really knew why she liked it down here: she was away from the Clan, separate from other cats. She was half-loner, after all, and occasionally felt entirely out of place with many other cats surrounding her. Out here, with so much open space, she _felt_ more alone, more independent. The urges to go off on her own, break away from the Clan, were uncommon and surfaced randomly, so randomly she didn't even fully understand what set off the urges.

As the sun sank closer and closer to the crashing waves, to the point of almost being consumed by them, Sunpaw was aware of how similar her pelt was to the sky in color. Fiery reds and blazing golds streaked across the horizon, with little dark smudges of cresting waves interrupting it now and then.

Swivelling her ears, she heard Jaywing calling them back over to the slope. As she went to rejoin the others, she wondered for the first time: _Was it my father who named me for the blazing sky at sundown? My father, Alexander, who I have yet to meet? _Her father's strange name was difficult for her to pronounce in her mind, let alone out loud.

A last ray of sun caught Lightningstar in the face, striking his yellow eyes to a glow. In the fading light, Sunpaw saw him beckon with his tail. He stepped up a rise in the rocky path, and Sunpaw saw a sort of curving dip in the cliff face. Reaching the top of the slope, she saw a gaping hole. Deep inside, she could already see a slight silvery glimmer. The ocean had swallowed up the sun, and the climbing moon already shed light on the beach.

She felt Rainpaw quivering with either anticipation or excitement beside her. Icepaw walked shoulder-to-shoulder with his mentor Jaywing, his ear pricked rigidly forward as though expecting enemies to pounce out.

As he five cats walked through the cave, both sound and scent of the ocean faded into nothing. Cool, damp scents of moss and stone filled the air around them as the glow of what Sunpaw knew to be the Silverstone intensified.

It took them longer to reach the stone itself than Sunpaw had expected. As Lightningstar led them around a final bend, Sunpaw, Icepaw, and Rainpaw stopped dead, having never seen anything like it before.

There, sitting a circular chamber with moss-coated walls, was the Silverstone. Nearly three tail-lengths high and as many wide, it shone with a brilliance that was both cold and warm at the same time. Lightningstar's black patches paled to mist-gray; Jaywing's blue-gray coat was given a new shine; Rainpaw's white fur shone almost painfully, her dark gray tail turned much paler; Icepaw glimmered like the stone itself. Looking down at her forelegs, Sunpaw saw her own fur had been bleached silver.

As she raised her head, Sunpaw saw a round gap in the cave ceiling where the moonlight shot in. When she looked at the Silverstone again, the getting-to-be-familiar whisperings flooded her mind.

Fluttering of wings, rushes of wind, murmurings of muffled voices.

Lightningstar stepped up to the stone and, looking as if he were bowing at first, sank to his belly. Pressing his nose against the rock, Sunpaw watched as the rise and fall of his flanks slowed.

Almost immediately after her leader fell asleep, images flowed into Sunpaw's mind. Refraining from yowling at this with immense trouble, Sunpaw forced herself to sit still and watch the images flash past in her mind's eye. Brief pictures flashing, each leaving an imprint on her mind.

She saw Icepaw standing before her, but he was older, undoubtedly a warrior. His dark blue eyes held a disturbing mix of anger, disappointment, and loss. As Sunpaw 'watched' him, he moved his mouth, then turned away. She could not catch his words.

The next image was of a tortoiseshell struggling to climb a steep hillside that was covered with a thick blanket of snow. The cold sky was a murky gray, and the weak leaf-bare light was fading. Harsh calls indicated the presence of crows. The tortoiseshell faltered as it fought to ascend higher on the hill.

A new image: Rainpaw, also obviously a warrior, grappled with a RiverClan cat. As the brief scene went on, Sunpaw saw more cats; RiverClan, ThunderClan, and Tribe. An older Pinepaw spat at Waterstar, RiverClan's leader, before reaching out and giving her Clan leader a blow to the head.

Next image: the black fox crouched beside the lake, her pale eyes glinting. In one fluid movement, she shot across the small clearing and landed on Morning, knocking the pale gray she-cat off her feet. Keeping Morning pinned flat, the fox barked in triumph.

And following that: Sunpaw stood alone in a vast cavern, the freezing darkness yawning on and on forever. A point of light appeared in the black, a point of light that drew rapidly closer until a magnificent, flame-pelted tom stood before her, his green eyes glowing. In a tone of deadly seriousness, he spoke to Sunpaw, his voice bouncing and echoing through the cavern.

"These are but few events of what will come to be. No action will change the outcome. Some things are inevitable." The cat paled, faster and faster, until only a ghost of himself remained. In a voice tinged with hope, he called, "Remember faith, Sunpaw. Your time will come."

With a jolt, Sunpaw was startled back to awareness as a crack of thunder sounded from outside. Lightningstar was already stretching, his yellow eyes both thoughtful and worried. Without a word, he waved his tail, indicating it was time to return to camp. As Sunpaw, Icepaw, Rainpaw, and Jaywing trailed after him, Sunpaw lingered for a moment, letting Icepaw get a bit ahead of her. Of all the flashes of the future she had seen, the image of Icepaw turning away from her made her feel inexplicably sick.

Casting one last glance at the Silverstone, Sunpaw sent a silent message to StarClan: _I have faith that you watch over us and help us, my warrior ancestors. But I do not believe that the future is as clear as you think it to be._

;-;-;-;

_Personally, I think faith will either destroy us or save us._

–_B.M.M_.

**A/N**: As I've said, I'm not changing the landmarks created in Starlight. Oh yes, while it's on my mind, the cover for Twilight has been released, in case anybody didn't know. Go to Amazon or something and check it out.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N**: In order: my deepest thanks to **L.e.g.e.n.d**, **Seiren no Kaze**, **Amberpelt**, **Creature of the Night**, **Spirithunter, **and **Dewflower**. To **Spirithunter**: a sequel? Could happen. First, of course, I've got to finish this one, and heck knows how long that'll take; still, the possibility will be there. Plus, sorry for taking a while to update.

Anywho, one month has passed since last chap.

**Chapter Thirteen**

"Do you know who I am?" her voice, kit-squeaky, sounded hopeful as she looked up at Sunpaw.

"Sure do," replied Sunpaw. "You're Dewkit."

The tiny silver tabby kit _mrrrp_ed with happiness, then bounded clumsily over to her mother Waterdrip. "She knows me!" announced Dewkit, her short tail curling up with pleasure that she was so well-known.

Waterdrip nuzzled Dewkit, her blue eyes gentle. The silver tabby queen's kits were one moon today, and had learned to talk in usually coherent sentences. Dewkit had a sister, Rootkit, and a brother, Fogkit, whose pelts were grubby brown and dark gray. Softkit, Yellowflower's daughter, bowled over Dewkit playfully.

Sunpaw watched the little scraps, her eyes glowing with warmth. She liked the kits, especially Softkit. Already she was impatient to become a warrior and mentor. Softkit and Rustykit were just over two moons, though, and Sunpaw knew she still had quite a wait.

Icepaw had commented the day before that he was seeing a whole new Sunpaw, one who was quiet and gentle and patient. Sunpaw had to admit, she really could even surprise herself. The most prominent side of her was the dry-humored, sarcastic, impatient, proud, and brash one; every cat who had come into contact with her knew that side. But then as Icepaw had pointed out, she did have a quieter side, a much lesser-known one.

"Hey!" Icepaw himself was calling to her from across the clearing. "Orangestripe says we're to go hunting!" As he spoke, he padded over to her. "Ready, then?"

Nodding, Sunpaw stretched, flexing her shoulder and leg muscles. As she arched her back, Icepaw twitched his whiskers. "Show-off," he meowed.

"You hypocrite! Who purposefully stayed in the moonlight at the last Gathering to make his fur shine?"

He rolled his eyes and bumped his shoulder against hers, but did not reply. Sunpaw raised her head and tail in triumph, knowing his silence meant she was right. Generally, Icepaw was known for his honesty, but silence after a comment meant he knew it was true but was too embarrassed to admit it.

The sun moved across the sky, sending tall shadows reaching across the forest floor. By now, new-leaf had passed and greenleaf had been introduced. The seeming overabundance of prey and building heat was new to Sunpaw, Icepaw, and Rainpaw, who had all been born during an unusually early leaf-fall. The warmth and amount of prey in newleaf had been new enough, and by now the heat and available food had doubled. The current luxury made it almost easy to forget the natural tension between Clans.

Even the threat from the Tribe had dwindled to almost nothing. The only thing kept all the Clans reminded of the danger was the strange cat-scent and fox-scent that blew on the breeze every few days. At the last Gathering, the most Tribe danger that had been reported was some missing prey from WindClan's territory. ThunderClan in particular, though, was reminded of the Tribe, as one of the enemy's own lived in their camp. True, Morning had been accepted to the point of going on patrols maybe four times a quarter-moon, but many still distrusted her. Sunpaw had come to know the gray she-cat better; she talked to her when Icepaw and Rainpaw weren't around. Morning was cheerful, never letting the uneasiness the cats had when they were around her bother her.

As she watched Icepaw shoot off after a rabbit, Sunpaw took a deep breath and let it out slowly, taking a moment to think. The images she'd seen at the Silverstone came back to her every day, as if of their own will. Sunpaw preferred not to think about the flashes she'd seen: puttering around worrying about the future distracted from the present. While some part of her wanted the events to happen now, her usual impatience rising to the surface, another part of her knew the events would come in their own time. _That's what you get from being around Icepaw, Rainpaw, and Lightningstar,_ mused Sunpaw. _Patience rubs off on you._

;-;-;-;

"Ha! Joyous day!"

Sunpaw swivelled her ears at Sorrelflower's exclamation. Sunpaw had gone out hunting again, and Sorrelflower had accompanied her. "I like to pretend I'm still a young warrior and not a creaky old lump," the tortoiseshell elder had said to her.

"Sunpaw, come and see!" Sorrelflower's voice was a little too loud; she'd been going deaf for some moons now. Feeling rather nettled, Sunpaw stood and walked over to the elder.

"You scared away my mouse," she meowed testily, not caring that apprentices were meant to be polite to elders.

Sorrelflower barely spared that comment a glance. Keeping her eyes riveted on something up in an old oak, she said, still too loudly, "Look, Sunpaw! Joy!"

_Now what? Not the crows again? _Following the old tortoiseshell's gaze, Sunpaw saw two dark figures perched atop the oak. As one, the figures flew away, proving themselves to be crows indeed.

"One for sorrow, two for joy," Sorrelflower said happily. "Ha! Joyous day!" she meowed again.

With a strange twist in her belly, Sunpaw remembered what had happened the last time the counting crows rhyme had been recited. As if reading her thoughts, Sorrelflower mewed, "Sunpaw, the last time it was one. It did come true, yes, so why not this time?"

"It was sheer coincidence," Sunpaw insisted. "Nothing as simple as a crow showing up determines future events."

"What do you call messages from StarClan?" asked Sorrelflower.

"I don't call them crows, that's for sure. Messages from StarClan are one thing, but a scaly-footed _bird _determining future happenings?"

"I find it comes true the majority of the time," mewed the elder, her voice cracking. "And I've lived for quite a time."

"Sheer coincidence," repeated Sunpaw. Sorrelflower dropped the subject, and impressed Sunpaw by managing to catch a robin.

;-;-;-;

Sunpaw padded towards the lake unhurriedly. Sunhigh had barely come, and Lightningstar had told her to hunt until sundown. Seeing as she'd already caught a rabbit, mouse, and sparrow, Sunpaw figured she deserved a short break. Feeling content in the splash of sunlight she stood in, she bent her head and lapped up some water, which was surprisingly cold, given the building warmth.

Licking her lips, Sunpaw shifted position slightly so she could see past a break in some reeds on RiverClan territory. If Pinepaw came, and if she came alone, Sunpaw wanted to ask her if there had been any trouble with the Tribe since the last Gathering.

Hardly a minute had passed before Sunpaw's typical impatience came into play. It was warm, and that was reason enough to move around and do something. She'd see Pinepaw later. Rising, Sunpaw shook a strand of moss off her forepaw, ready to continue hunting. Before she turned back into the forest, she paused for another drink from the lake.

"Holy burning StarClan, what–?"

Every cat expected to see their own reflection when they looked into water. It was simple: stare into a lake, stream, or puddle, and meet your own eyes.

Sunpaw hadn't seen herself.

Getting over her shock in record time, Sunpaw bent over the lake again, curious to see if it would happen again. For a fraction of a second, she saw her own face, her own golden-red fur. Then her reflection shifted, fur darkening, ear shape changing. Sunpaw stood, frozen not by fear, but some other nameless thing, as she found herself looking at a dark gray cat with deep green eyes. A water bug skittered over the reflection-that-wasn't, causing Sunpaw's own face to shimmer back into existence.

Raising her head, Sunpaw had no time to dwell on the event before a flash of white caught her eye. Whipping her head around, she saw the palest outline of Roseleaf sitting a few tail-lengths away. Her mother flicked her tail in greeting.

"_Remember his face. Remember his name._" The words sounded like they had been spoken out loud, but the shadow of Roseleaf hadn't opened her mouth. Sunpaw blinked, and her mother vanished to be replaced by Rainpaw, who came stepping out of the bushes.

"Hi," mewed the white apprentice, her pale blue eyes bright. "What's up?"

Given what had just happened–seeing another cat's face in the water and seeing her dead mother appear–Sunpaw felt somewhat flustered. True, she'd seen shadow-cats before, but she had no personal connection to the ones she'd previously seen.

"Nothing much," she answered. "Aside from seeing my dead mother." Sunpaw had done her best to keep her tone light. Her words and tone combined had the effect she'd wanted: Rainpaw looked like she didn't know whether to laugh or not. After a moment, she shook her head. "You know, Sunpaw, I can't tell if you're joking or not."

_Remember his face, remember his name. _Sunpaw repeated the words in her mind as she padded deeper into ThunderClan land alongside Rainpaw. Sunpaw could recall knowing only one dark gray cat, and that had been Ashfur, Icepaw and Rainpaw's father. _Can't be him,_ Sunpaw thought. _Ashfur had dark blue eyes, like Icepaw. Whoever the heck I saw had green. _Come to think of it, the emerald-green eyes had been the only thing to remain unchanged when Sunpaw's reflection shifted to become the gray cat. Same exact shade of green, same shape, same glitter...the eyes alone could have made them related.

And then it hit her.

Her father. Sunpaw's reflection had become the face of her father, the loner called Alexander. As if she could ever forget that name.

_Well, Roseleaf, _Sunpaw sighed silently, _I'll find Alexander and tell him you loved him. That was what you told me to do, over a moon ago._

Sunpaw could have sworn she heard the forest sigh in satisfaction.

;-;-;-;

The day after she'd seen her father's face in place of her own reflection, Sunpaw was on RiverClan border patrol with Hawkclaw, Icepaw, and Nightwhisker. Hawkclaw, who was the oldest cat present, led the patrol. Nightwhisker flanked him, and Sunpaw and Icepaw walked directly behind them. When Hawkclaw paused to leave a fresh scent marking, Sunpaw caught sight of two crows flying past far overhead. _Not again..._she was suddenly weary of the counting crows rhyme.

"Any of you smell that?" asked Icepaw suddenly, his nose in the air, scenting the faint breeze that blew from RiverClan territory.

In unison, Sunpaw, Hawkclaw, and Nightwhisker scented the air. "Tribe scent," said Sunpaw, identifying it first.

"Lots of them," added Nightwhisker.

"Fox is there, too," said Icepaw gravely.

"We're leaving, then," said Hawkclaw shortly. "The last thing we need is–"

He never did finish the sentence. A loud, high-pitched yowling split through the woods, followed by the sharp crash-and-snap of breaking undergrowth. Pinepaw burst out of the reeds, gasping for breath, blood dripping from a cut on her shoulder.

"Thank StarClan!" she blurted. Turning to Sunpaw, the only cat she knew, she said in a rush, "Tribe and the fox are attacking our camp. We're incredibly outnumbered. We need–"

"You need to fight this battle on your own," growled Hawkclaw. "If RiverClan can't defend their camp, it's RiverClan's problem."

Flame coursed through Sunpaw. Thrusting her face into Hawkclaw's, she snarled, "And when the Tribe comes for us, who will we turn to? If ThunderClan refuse to help the other Clans, why would they help us when we need it?" Turning to face the rest of the patrol and Pinepaw, she beckoned with her tail. "More warriors would be useful," she called over her shoulder, before she turned to sprint back to camp.

Sunpaw knew Nightwhisker, Icepaw, and Pinepaw were following her, and for a moment, she felt like a leader. A new power and pride surged through her, and with the sun breaking through the trees and making her pelt blaze, Sunpaw truly felt as regal and strong as a leader of ThunderClan. The pale outline of a flame-colored cat flickered into her vision, and she heard a deep voice whisper in her ear.

"_Firestar reborn_."

The cat vanished when Darkcloud came hurrying up the slope that led into ThunderClan's camp, alerted by the sound of pounding paws.

"Sunpaw?" said the black warrior, his amber eyes puzzled. "Is that a RiverClan cat? What–"

"The Tribe's at RiverClan's camp," interrupted Sunpaw. "They're losing, Darkcloud, ThunderClan needs to go–"

"How many do you need?" asked Darkcloud, directing the question at Pinepaw.

The RiverClan apprentice shook her head, barely able to gasp out, "As many as you can spare."

To Sunpaw's relief, the dark warrior whipped around, back down the slope. Less than a minute later, a stream of cats came bounding up the slope; it was close to sunhigh, and many cats had returned to camp to eat. Quickriver, Mudspeckle, Sparrowbeak, Snowwind, Jaywing, Rainpaw, and, to Sunpaw's surprise, Morning. Darkcloud nodded, and Pinepaw turned, winding through ThunderClan's territory to reach her own.

Sunpaw kept right on Pinepaw's heels, hearing the rumble of paws from behind her. Icepaw and Rainpaw surged up on either side of her, and as Pinepaw jumped over the reeds that marked the start of RiverClan land, Sunpaw felt a twinge of regret that Lightningstar had not joined the patrol. She'd wanted her mentor to see how well she and her friends could fight. Briefly, she wondered how Morning felt about fighting the cats she used to live among.

They heard the fight long before they reached it. Pinepaw cleared a wide stream in one adrenalin-charged leap, then shouldered through a clump of brambles. Sunpaw leapt over the thorns to land on the edge of the RiverClan camp, which was filled with screeching, clawing cats. She could not see the black fox.

A dark gray cat cannoned into Sunpaw. The impact made them both roll, and Sunpaw thrust her hind legs into the Tribe cat's belly. As the cat grunted and tumbled off her, Sunpaw crouched low to the ground, remembering a trick Lightningstar had taught her. When the gray cat regained its footing and saw Sunpaw crouched submissively, it yowled in triumph and reared up on its hind legs, ready to drop down on her. Timing her move perfectly, Sunpaw leapt headlong into the cat's belly. The Tribe cat hit the ground hard, did not rise, and Sunpaw turned away from it.

She caught a glimpse of Rainpaw chasing off a cat easily twice her size. Before the Tribe cat fully got away, Rainpaw gave it one last bite, letting it know she was strong, regardless of her small size. Icepaw pinned a brown tom to the ground, clawing its shoulders and neck before allowing it to flee.

A shrill cry caught Sunpaw's attention, and she saw a tiny tabby, hardly old enough to be an apprentice, flinching away from a lean, heavily scarred, black Tribe she-cat.

"Coward!" spat Sunpaw as she jumped in front of the little apprentice, blocking it from harm. "Taking on a cat not even half your size!" Reaching out with a forepaw, Sunpaw feinted a blow to the cat's left ear, then connected the same paw to the cat's right cheek. The black she-cat backed away from her, flinching from blow after blow to its face. It was a trick Icepaw had taught her; enough hits to the face, and a cat would usually get dizzy enough to trip over its own paws.

"Sunpaw!"

It was Icepaw who called her name, and Sunpaw instinctively turned in the direction of his voice. He beckoned with his tail, shaking drops of blood out of his face that trailed from a cut over his eye. Running over to him, he pointed with his nose to a dark corner of the camp. With a jolt, Sunpaw saw two black figures sitting in the shadows. One was the fox, her pale eyes glinting; the second was Shadowfur, his dark orange eyes calm and almost...triumphant as he surveyed the battle. _Shadowfur didn't come with the patrol Darkcloud gathered. When did he get here? _Sunpaw didn't know if she spoke the words aloud or not, but a second later she was forced to turn away from them. Another Tribe cat had appeared, seemingly from nowhere, in front of her and Icepaw.

Working as one, Sunpaw and Icepaw attacked the cat. Icepaw relied on feinting moves, stepping one way and clawing from the other, effectively flustering the Tribe member; Sunpaw worked with a combination of strength and speed, shoving with her shoulders and darting away from reaching claws.

One yowl sounded above all the others, and a moment later, five more ThunderClan cats joined the battle, led by Prickerclaw, a RiverClan warrior. Apparently deciding the odds were too stacked and the risk of losing was now too large, the fox stepped out from the shadows it had been sitting under. Barking sharply, it waved its tail, signaling for the Tribe to retreat.

The sudden silence roared in Sunpaw's ears. The Tribe were like lightning: there one heartbeat, gone the next. She stared around the unfamiliar camp, watching as RiverClan and ThunderClan cats alike came padding unsteadily from behind thick clumps of reeds and brambles. She watched as Darkcloud, limping on one leg, walked up to Waterstar, the leader of RiverClan. Too far to hear what they were saying, Sunpaw watched as Waterstar bowed her head almost to the ground.

Bending her head and licking a cut on her foreleg, Sunpaw twisted her ears at the sound of pawsteps. Rainpaw came hobbling up, keeping her left forepaw pressed tight against her chest. Thumping down next to Sunpaw, the small white she-cat held out her paw. "Look at that," she mewed, her voice and eyes both quivering with nervousness. Sunpaw looked. Sunpaw winced.

"Nice," she said.

"It's really anything but," muttered Rainpaw, staring at the deep cut that ran clear across her pad. "I'll probably get some fatal infection and wither up."

"Thought you weren't one for jumping to conclusions," said Sunpaw, turning her attention to another of her own wounds. "We do have a medicine cat, need I remind you."

"ThunderClan!" Darkcloud had finished speaking with Waterstar and turned to address his Clan. "We return to camp." He beckoned with his tail, waiting for all the ThunderClan cats who had come to fight to gather around him.

Before Darkcloud led the way out of the RiverClan camp, Pinepaw caught Sunpaw's eye and flicked her tail in farewell. Sunpaw returned the gesture of friendship, and wondered if the mottled she-cat would gain her warrior name.

_Heck, wonder if _we'll _get our warrior names,_ thought Sunpaw as she fell into pace with Icepaw and Rainpaw, neither of whom were able to walk steadily. _No cat can bloody well tell me we don't deserve it._

Mudspeckle broke through her thoughts. "I'll be sure to tell Lightningstar how well you three performed," he said, indicating Sunpaw, Icepaw, and Rainpaw with one sweep of his tail. He looked to Morning. "I'll tell him how well you defended ThunderClan as well," he added.

Morning adopted a defiant look in her amber eyes. "I do not belong with the Tribe any longer," she said with dignity. "ThunderClan is my new place, and it is with all my pride I live there."

When they reentered ThunderClan territory, Sunpaw felt compelled to look over her shoulder, to see if Shadowfur had come back with the rest of his Clan, but she knew, just somehow _knew, _that the black tom had not followed. A sudden, sharp throb gnawed at her ribs, where she had received a particularly painful bite. Unprepared for the jab of pain, Sunpaw stumbled, nearly rolling head over tail. Icepaw and Rainpaw stopped.

"You alright?" they asked in unison, both pairs of blue eyes holding concern. Sunpaw knew the whole patrol had seen her trip.

"Fine. I'm fine." She managed to keep her voice even, pushing back the still-present throb. She raised her chin and tail, trying to keep her dignity intact. _Adding insult to injury, _she thought.

It was halfway to sundown when they reached the camp. Lightningstar, who had been hunting when Pinepaw first came asking for help, had close to no knowledge of what had happened. Mudspeckle quietly filled him in, while Sunpaw, Icepaw, and Rainpaw took turns filling in those who had also been out on the event. Yellowflower and Waterdrip's kits, riled up from all the chatter and frightened by their first sight of blood, dashed from one corner of the camp to the other, their short tails fluffing out.

As the sun crept lower and lower, the camp gradually quieted down. Lightningstar ordered three patrols, informing them to be back quickly, before the sun disappeared for the day. Sunpaw, feeling drowsy from the poppy seeds Treeshadow had given her, yawned as she went to join Icepaw and Rainpaw outside the den.

"Some day," she said through another yawn, flopping down close to Icepaw. She managed a short purr as Icepaw licked her cheek, then rested her chin on her paws. "No sign of a warrior ceremony, I notice," she added.

"It's not sundown yet," argued Rainpaw. Her gray tail twitched. "There's time still."

"Lightningstar told the patrols to be back before sundown, you'll notice," added Icepaw.

The three lay in silence together, saying nothing on the anticipation and hope that kept a firm hold over them all. When the last patrol returned with nothing to report, Lightningstar nodded his thanks to them and leap up the Hightree. As he called the summons, Sunpaw felt her heart skip more than one beat. Icepaw and Rainpaw managed to keep calm and look reasonably collected, but Sunpaw, for all her careful dignity, couldn't help but hold her tail straight up and practically hop over to join the rest of the Clan.

When all the cats had gathered, Lightningstar began to speak. "Cats of ThunderClan, as you all know, a battle took place today between RiverClan, ThunderClan, and the Tribe." He paused. _Nice dramatic effect, _thought Sunpaw. "We are gathered here this sundown to honor four young cats in particular." His yellow gaze fell on Morning. "First, I wish to honor Morning, who defended ThunderClan with as much ferocity as though she were born among us." To Sunpaw's mild surprise, about half the Clan called appreciatively to the gray she-cat, who bowed her head shyly. Sunpaw added her voice, and Morning's amber eyes glowed.

"Secondly," Lightningstar continued once the clearing was silent, "The apprentices Sunpaw, Icepaw, and Rainpaw deserve a place of honor tonight. Mudspeckle tells me the three of them fought like the greatest of warriors." Trying to stop her fur bristling with excitement, and feeling like her heart would burst from beating so fast, Sunpaw's fur gleamed in the last rays of light as nearly every cat who had been in the battle murmured their agreement.

When Lightningstar slithered off the Hightree and walked to the head of the crowd, Sunpaw heard Rainpaw squeak and saw Icepaw's shoulders tense. She almost choked on nothing when Lightningstar began the traditional words.

"I, Lightningstar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn." Holding her chin high, Sunpaw pressed closer to Icepaw for a moment, suddenly feeling much older than she had earlier that day. She felt Rainpaw quivering on her other side.

"Sunpaw, Icepaw, Rainpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your lives?"

"I do." They had spoken in perfect time with one another. Sunpaw noticed all three of them _sounded_ older, more mature.

A red glimmer caught her eye, and Sunpaw's eyes flicked to an empty space beside Lightningstar. In less than a heartbeat, the flame-pelted tom stood there, his dark green eyes glowing. After a moment, he bowed his head. Sunpaw was unable to look away from him, knowing that no other cat could see him. Lightningstar's voice startled her back to the moment.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names: Rainpaw, from this moment you will be known as Raintail. StarClan honors your compassion and your patience, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." Raintail stood, visibly shaking, and bowed her head. She gave Lightningstar's shoulder a respectful lick, then turned to join the warriors, her gray tail held aloft.

"Icepaw," said Lightningstar, and a warm glow spread through Sunpaw, mixing with understandable impatience for her turn, "from this moment on you will be known as Icestorm. StarClan honors your bravery and your honesty, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." Icestorm licked Lightningstar's shoulder, and his deep blue eyes met with Sunpaw's as he sat next to Jaywing in the line of warriors. Sunpaw fought against the shiver that ran up her spine, caused by either the knowledge she was next, or by Icestorm's eyes lingering on her.

"Sunpaw, from this moment you will be known as Sunfire. StarClan honors your courage and your spirit, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." Dipping her head to Lightningstar, Sunfire knew the flame-pelted tom also watched her, proud as any mentor.

"Welcome, warrior of ThunderClan." Both Lightningstar and the flame-cat spoke the words. Proudly, knowing StarClan was watching, Sunfire turned and took a place between Icestorm and Raintail as the Clan chanted their names, bringing them forever to the rank of warrior.

"In the tradition of our ancestors," said Lightningstar, once the camp was again silent, "Raintail, Icestorm, and Sunfire must guard the camp alone." His yellow gaze swept over them all. "Your vigil begins."

One by one, the Clan slipped off to their respective dens, many calling congratulations as they did. Sunfire noticed the flame-colored shadow-cat still sat, unmoving.

Even with pride and excitement pounding through her veins, Sunfire had only one thought: _Who are you? _She asked silently, looking at the shadow-cat.

His green eyes glimmered, and she heard his voice in her mind: _Do you not know me, young Sunfire?_ With a flick of his tail, he paled into non-existence.

Seated between her two friends, Sunfire trained her eyes on the first star that appeared in the velvet-purple sky. With a jolt, she thought she knew the flame-pelted tom who appeared to her in both dreams and in the waking world.

_Firestar?_

;-;-;-;

**A/N:** Hopefully, next chap up in less than a week.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N:** Deepest thanks, reviewers. **L.e.g.e.n.d.**, you're quite right; I really need to work on describing what Sunfire is feeling. **Safaricat Dawnheart**, your question'll be answered in this chap. To all, I am SO sorry for taking so long to update. Delays were due to two tests per school day and a really nasty-arse cold.

**Chapter Fourteen**

Sunfire slipped under the trailing branches of the great willow, padding into the clearing where the other three Clans had already gathered. She held her tail jauntily high and straight, her eyes gleaming, for this was her first Gathering as a warrior and she was going to let the world know it. Walking deliberately, she slowly scanned the assembled cats, looking for Pinepaw. Assuming the mottled she-cat still went by Pinepaw; she could've been made a warrior since the battle.

"You're acting like you've just been made leader," Icestorm commented from beside her.

"Said the one who just came strutting into view," she shot back. Helooked sheepish.Sunfire craned her neck, still trying to pick out one RiverClan cat from the others. It wasn't easy; RiverClan's group was much larger than was average.

"Who're you looking for?" asked Raintail, coming up on her other side.

Just as Raintail asked it, Waterstar, RiverClan's leader, yowled from where the leaders always stood, on the platform created by the willow tree's sweeping branches. Lightningstar and the other leaders, Hickorystar and Reedstar, hurriedly leapt up beside her.

"Staring this Gathering rather abruptly, aren't we?" said Sunfire, to no one in particular. She felt rather nettled that she hadn't had the chance to find Pinepaw.

"And why's she calling the start of the Gathering?" asked Raintail. "Lightningstar's senior leader; he should be calling it."

"Cats of WindClan, ShadowClan, and ThunderClan," called Waterstar, "I bring news of the Tribe. As you may or may not know, RiverClan was attacked by the Tribe a little less than a half-moon ago. I have made the decision–"

"No mention of the fact that ThunderClan saved their tails," muttered Sunfire.

"Shut up!" hissed Icestorm, poking her with unsheathed claws. Sunfire glared at him, but the glare was half-hearted at best.

Waterstar's voice drew her attention. "–to ally with the Tribe. We will–"

The rest of her sentence was drowned out by yowls and snarls from nearly every cat, including, Sunfire noted with both interest and confusion, most of the RiverClan patrol.

"Have you gone mad?" yowled Jaywing. The ThunderClan warrior's blue-gray pelt was bristling. "Joining with them? Do you have any idea of what–"

"Insanity!" Another cat's voice rose over his; it was a ShadowClan she-cat, Goldear. "You're just proving the Tribe–"

"Silence!" Waterstar's glare landed on every cat in the clearing in turn. When complete silence had fallen, she continued. "I have done this to both protect and strengthen my Clan. RiverClan will be safer, living with the Tribe, and we will also learn fighting techniques from them." Her blue gaze was as icy as her tone. "I acted for the best."

Sunfire's stomach was churning. Flame rose inside her, and her thoughts spilled out her mouth. "Did you even consider for a minute how this will affect us?" she shouted. "The Tribe will figure that if they got one Clan to collapse and join with them, the rest will follow! You're only making them stronger!"

"The decisions I make for my own Clan are not your concern, Sunpaw!" snarled Waterstar.

"Sun_fire_!" she spat. "And if you're making decisions like this, they're the concern of every cat in the forest! Everyone will suffer from this!" Sunfire was, somehow, losing anger as she plowed on. She became less a furious young warrior and more a leader determined to defend her Clan, defend all the Clans. Her voice rang through the trees, seemed to carry all the way to the stars. If she could have seen herself, she would have been surprised how noble she sounded.

"You would rather fight for the cats who have tried to kill you than for the cats who have helped keep you alive?" This was Icestorm, his blue eyes blazing in the moonlight.

Waterstar was about to respond when, without any warning rumbles from the sky, a bolt of lightning shot down, nearly touching the top of the great willow. Sunfire's fur crawled like ants had swarmed over her, and the air felt thick and hot. Along with many other cats, Sunfire shuddered, both from the horrible sensation in her fur and from StarClan's apparent warning.

"This Gathering is over, by the will of StarClan." Lightningstar's voice rang through the clearing, his words too loud in the sharp silence that had fallen with the lightning bolt. He could be clearly seen jumping down from the tree; the moon had not been covered with clouds. The other Clan leaders followed suit, calling to their Clans. Slowly, apparently puzzled by the abrupt end to the Gathering, cats began milling their way over to their respective leaders, muttering about Waterstar's decision.

Sunfire forced herself to linger, though instinct told her to run from the lightning that had fallen so close to the gathered cats. Every hair on her pelt still tingled unpleasantly, partially from the lightning, partially from Waterstar's proclamation. Despite the mingled scents, a familiar RiverClan wafted over her scent glands just as the voice that matched the scent spoke.

"Sunfire, huh? Nice name." Pinepaw stood at her shoulder. "I'm Pinefur now," she added. "A less than elegant name."

"You're a warrior, don't complain. What in the name of StarClan is Waterstar–?"

"Give you the details later," interrupted Pinefur. "Can you get on a hunting patrol tomorrow at sunhigh?"

"I'll try, but–"

"Sunfire!" Icestorm was waiting for her at the edge of the clearing; Sunfire felt a sudden, happy twinge in her belly as some of the weeping willow's trailing branches danced around him, making for a nice view. "You coming?"

"Working on it," she called, already starting towards him. Flicking her tail in farewell to Pinefur, she added quietly, "I'll try and be there," before breaking into a run to catch up with the rest of ThunderClan.

;-;-;-;

"Waterstar _what_?" Badgerclaw's face was twisted with incredulity. He hadn't been to the Gathering, but Lightningstar's first action upon returning to camp was to summon the Clan and fill them in on what the RiverClan leader had done.

"Why would she do that?" called Nightwhisker, seated beside him. "She's only making the forest weaker."

"She was intimidated into it, I'll bet," Quickriver said from the back of the crowd. "Only explanation that makes sense."

"What, the most sensible explanation is always the right one?" Sunfire shot over.

Quickriver looked irritated. "Well, it–"

"Rhetorical question," Sunfire shouted over the brown she-cat.

Lightningstar's caterwaul silenced them. "The point," he said once total quiet was restored, "is that the Tribe now have a whole Clan added to their numbers."

"But will all of RiverClan even fight for the Tribe?" asked Raintail from the head of the Clan. "Next time the Tribe attacks, will RiverClan stand and fight against us, or turn and fight with us?"

Arguments rose again; Sunfire tuned them out and thought. She had courage; Lightningstar had named it as a virtue at their warrior ceremony. Regardless, a needle of fear pushed into her when she thought of the Tribe's numbers now. Why would Waterstar even agree to join with the fox? She was giving up the freedoms of every cat in her Clan, as well as making the Clans who refused to buckle vulnerable.

"The only thing we can do right now is wait. In a few nights, I will go to the Silverstone and listen to what StarClan tells me," continued Lightningstar.

"Hardly seems sufficient," Sunfire heard Badgerclaw mutter a few tail-lengths away. "But I suppose it's the most sufficient thing we can do right now."

For the first time, Sunfire agreed with him. _Must be a sign the world's going to come to a screeching halt._

;-;-;-;

"Where are you going?" asked a gray bundle of fur that bounced around Sunfire's chest.

"Can we come?" squeaked a grubby brown bundle, busying itself running circles around her legs.

Sunfire danced from forepaw to forepaw, amusement and mild annoyance both rising in her chest as she tried to avoid stepping on the kits. She grunted as Dewkit cannoned into her flank.

"Will you three let up?" she said, half-laughing. She felt relief, surprise, and amusement bubble up as all three kits immediately ceased their assault on her, stepping back a few paces. "I'm going hunting," she told them. "And no, you can't come. You're hardly old enough to be out of the nursery."

Rootkit and Dewkit looked crestfallen, while Fogkit looked offended. "I'm strong," he mewed defiantly, though his kit-squeaky voice made Sunfire fight her twitching whiskers. The gray kit _was_ strong for his age, she had to admit; his already-broad shoulders and chest and thick legs mirrored those of their father Jaywing.

"You'll have to take it up with Waterdrip," said Sunfire, starting up the slope. "Where _is_ Waterdrip?" she added as an afterthought. The silver queen, like many others, was highly protective of her kits while they were so young.

"Gone to see Treeshadow," said Rootkit, her eyes following the complex flight of a dragonfly. As if on cue, the silver tabby appeared from under the fallen tree the medicine cat made his den under. At the sight of her, the three kits pranced over, deciding to continue their assault on her rather than Sunfire.

"Hope they didn't bother you," said Waterdrip. "They're quite–Fogkit, that hurt--active today."

"No trouble," called Sunfire from the top of the slope. It was nearing sunhigh, and she had intent to try and meet Pinefur.

She turned her head around and found herself nose-to-nose with Icestorm. He took a few steps back, looking mildly amused.

"It's a whole new Sunfire that comes into being when kits are in the near vicinity," he said.

Sunfire worked her jaw slightly, trying to stop her whiskers itching from where they had mingled with Icestorm's. "Yeah, I believe we've already reached that conclusion."

His tail tip twitched. "You going hunting?"

"No, thought I'd just ramble aimlessly around the woods for a while."

He ducked his head and huffed out a short laugh. "Have fun," he said, grimacing as hebent his head to pick up his fresh-kill. "Mudspeckle's assigned me on WindClan patrol with Shadowfur."

She grunted sympathetically, nudging him in farewell as he started down the slope and she started off towards RiverClan territory. It was a nice day, she thought, as she had for almost every day since greenleaf started. Bright sun, plenty and fresh-kill, just enough rain to prevent the forest from drying up.

A sparrow flitted past in front of her, and it took her a moment to decide whether to go for the bird or keep moving for RiverClan territory. Instinct won, and as she slipped into the hunting crouch something nudged the back of her mind. It was almost unnatural, all this nice weather and good fortune. Like StarClan were giving the Clans a small gift before trouble came.

She pounced on the sparrow and hid it in a clump of lavender, then continued over to the RiverClan border. Sunfire really couldn't explain why she felt strange; intuition, she supposed. It was just mostly that since the Tribe's first attack, when Sunfire had been barely seven moons old, every cat had expected an almost non-stop flow of attacks. And now, in early greenleaf, few attacks had come, but somethingdark almost hovered overhead.

Was she thinking about it too much? Or not enough? _We do need to do something_, thought Sunfire, craning her neck over some reeds. _Trouble is, we _can't_ do anything._

"Hey, Sunfire?"

Sunfire turned left and saw Pinefur's head poking out of a clump of cattails. The RiverClan warrior pushed through the reeds to stand a whisker away from where ThunderClan's scent markings began. "Glad you made it," Pinefur added. "Can't be sure I would've–"

"What was Waterstar thinking?" interrupted Sunfire. "She's just put all the Clans in trouble by–"

"You think we haven't told her that?" said Pinefur in a harsh whisper, flattening her ears. "Not too long after ThunderClan left after the fight–thanks for that, by the way–the fox came bounding over the camp wall, knocked Waterstar flat, and killed her with a hit from one paw." Sunfire sat down in front of Pinefur, her ears pricked not to better hear her friend, but to listen for patrols, RiverClan or ThunderClan.

"It wasn't Waterstar's last life, obviously, so when Waterstar woke up again the fox said she would keep killing her, and every cat in the Clan, unless Waterstar did what she wanted. And the fox wanted RiverClan on her side. So, she–"

"But are any of RiverClan really going to stand with her, or are all of you just going to turn in battle and attack the Tribe?"

Pinefur crouched close to the ground, her eyes wide as she stared up at Sunfire. "Sunfire, I don't _know_! I don't know whether to be loyal to Waterstar or the warrior code or the fox or Shadow–"

"You follow the orders of the fox or the Tribe and they own you," Sunfire cut in. Anger coiled up inside her as she thought about what the fox was doing: inducing fear to rally the Clans to her side. "And if RiverClan–" Then something Pinefur had said sunk in. "Wait, what about ShadowClan? Have they–"

"No, not–" began Pinefur, but she stopped talking abruptly. Pawsteps were sounding from behind Pinefur, growing louder rapidly. "Go!" hissed Pinefur. Sunfire was already turning away, putting a safe distance between herself and the RiverClan border.

As Sunfire walked through the forest, she hardly saw where she was going. From the sound of it, nearly all of RiverClan disagreed with their leader's decision in joining the Tribe. That would certainly have an effect somewhere down the line.

Everyone, Sunfire included, would just have to wait to see where Waterstar's decision led them.

But it didn't mean she had to like the waiting.

;-;-;-;

"Sunfire?"

Hearing her name, Sunfire raised her head groggily. It was nearly dawn, two days after her meeting with Pinefur. Blinking sleep away, she turned to the den's entrance to see pale amber eyes staring back at her. "That's me," she yawned, unsure who was calling her. Morning and Raintail had similar voices.

"I've got a need to be telling you something." It was Morning; the she-cat had a tendency to use extra words.

Moving slowly so as to not wake any other warriors, Sunfire uncurled herself and stood, arching her back. Stepping carefully over Icestorm, she pushed out of the den.

"What?" she asked, settling into the cool grass across from Morning.

"You should know this...I have been scenting the..." she gulped, hesitated, continued. "The f-fox for a some many nights now."

Sunfire was awake now. For less than a heartbeat, fear needled up her spine; anger replaced it a moment later. "Exactly _why_ haven't you told Lightningstar?" she hissed.

Morning flinched slightly, but said, "I had thought that Lightningstar had to already know. I had thought some cat would have been catching the scent." Before Sunfire could say something, Morning added, "Her scent is always being accompanied by the scent of the warrior Shadowfur, sometimes by the warrior Hawkclaw."

It was anger, not fear, that had a grip on Sunfire now. "All more the reason you should've told Lightningstar, or Mudspeckle, or Treeshadow, or _anybody_ before now! How many days have you scented them?"

"Well...it is a little difficult to pinpoint, but..."

"How _many_?" insisted Sunfire.

Morning flinched again. "Two nights more than a quarter-moon. And Sunfire," she added, "never are they involved in a fight when they are meeting. Always calm, I can tell by their scents."

Streaks of pink and purple were showing just above the trees; Silverpelt was fading.

"We should be telling Lightningstar when he comes returning," said Morning nervously. He'd started out for the Silverstone yesterday.

"Should've told Lightningstar the first time you scented them," snapped Sunfire, not caring that she made Morning flinch for the third time in two minutes. _Well, she should've._

Behind Morning, the palest outline of Firestar appeared. His dark green eyes were wide, shining with fear. Before he faded completely, he indicated the sky with his muzzle. Raising her head, Sunfire saw a blood-red streak amidst the soft pinks and purples of dawn.

"_There will come the time of shadows."_

Lightningstar appeared on the crest of the slope, looking defeated.

;-;-;-;

"_Things are now in motion that cannot be undone."_

_–_Gandalf, _The Return of the King_

**A/N**: Yes, not much done, but I'm still slightly ill and couldn't write much more this chap. And let's not turn our reviews into arguments with each other, shall we? Generally, I'm pretty fair-tempered, but when people write reviews to snipe at each other it irks me.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N:** Thanks, reviewers! **Dewflower**, looking back on it, I agree with you; I didn't follow Sunfire in the last bit of the chap. Sorry for taking a bit to update once again; writer's block snuck up and hit me with a mallet.

**Chapter Fifteen**

"Is Shadowfur in the warrior's den?" asked Lightningstar, padding over to Sunfire and Morning.

Now that she thought about it, Sunfire wasn't sure. She knew she'd been sleeping next to Icestorm, and Raintail had been on her other side, but she hadn't noticed if the black tom had been in the den before Morning woke her up.

"Don't know," answered Sunfire, a strange feeling mingling with the anger from what Morning had told her moments ago. Without waiting for the command, she turned and ducked under the broad leaves that sheltered the warrior's den. She saw two black pelts, Nightwhisker and Darkcloud, but not the third that should have been there.

"He's gone," she said, backing out of the den. "And his scent's stale. Yesterday evening's, I'd guess."

Lightningstar's eyes flashed, but with fear, not anger. "The Clan is in danger," he said, scanning the clearing. Turning to Morning, he meowed, "Wake Treeshadow, the elders, and the queens. Sunfire, wake the rest of the warriors."

"What are we to be telling them?" asked Morning, wide-eyed.

"That I have called a Clan meeting," said Lightningstar distractedly, his eyes darting around camp.

Uneasiness mounting with every passing second, Sunfire turned to the warrior's den again and slipped inside. Weak sunlight was filterong in through gaps in the leaves; Darkcloud raised his head, woken by the light that struck him in the face. Stepping over sleeping bodies towards him, Sunfire said, "Help me wake everyone up. Lightningstar's called a meeting."He nodded and rose, nudging Snowwind.

Prodding Badgerclaw, who was nearest, Sunfire waited for him to lift his head before repeating what she'd said to Darkcloud. The mottled gray tom's eyes glittered with dislike as he registered who was speaking to him, but he remained silent as he roused Nightwhisker.

Disturbed by the voices and movements, the rest of the warriors were plucked out of sleep. One by one, they filtered out of the den, some murmuring confusedly; Clan meetings were rarely called this early.

Raintailran a forepaw over her ears nervously, her pale blue eyes plainly showing her worry. "Shadowfur's gone," she commented, her gaze roaming over the gathering cats. Looking at Sunfire, she asked, "Is that why Lightningstar's calling us? Has Shadowfur done something?"

"I don't doubt it," replied Sunfire, but she ran her tail over Raintail's shoulder comfortingly. Uneasiness was still growing within her, made worse by the tension of the Clan. Icestorm pressed against her for a moment; he could probably sense her discomfort.

"Cats of ThunderClan," called Lightningstar from the Hightree, "When I traveled to the Silverstone, StarClan showed me that one of our own has turned traitor against us." The murmurings of the Clan grew louder, and Lightningstar waved his tail for silence. "Our ancestors showed to me that Shadowfur has been a second leader to the Tribe for two moons now."

Cries of outrage, surprise, disbelief, and fear all rose from the Clan. Raintail began to bristle, her eyes holding more worry than ever. Icestorm growled low in his throat, but Sunfire couldn't honestly say she felt anything other than cold hatred. Shadowfur had been her enemy since the day she was born; he was the one who Firestar warned her against. _Beware the shadows_; no other Clan cat had the name 'shadow'. Some moons ago, she'd had that dream where Shadowfur and the fox had been sitting side by side, allies.

Listening to the barrage of yowls around her, Sunfire wasn't surprised many of her Clanmates spoke in defense of Shadowfur. He was nothing less than cruel to her, but he, unlike Hawkclaw, had managed to make himself popular with other cats. Sunfire was woken from her thoughts when Raintail nudged her and pointed with her nose. Following her gaze, Sunfire saw a flash of black at the top of the slope.

Feeling a jolt shoot through her belly, Sunfire stood and let loose the most eery, shrill wail she had in her. At once, every cat stopped talking and turned to her, their tails fluffing out, their eyes hugely round. Feeling satisfied at how quickly she'd gotten their attention, Sunfire gestured to the top of the slope. The Clan turned to see Shadowfur standing at the slope's crest, his dark orange eyes emotionless. He spoke, his voice carrying in the early dawn.

"I'm touched to see such a reaction," he said, his eyes sweeping over the Clan.

"Is it true, what Lightningstar says?" called Sparrowbeak. "Have you been a second leader to the Tribe?" Sunfire felt a ripple run up her spine; Sparrowbeak did not sound disgusted or angry, but keen.

Shadowfur nodded calmly. Snarls came from several cats; some gasped in disbelief. Sunfire growled, tensing her shoulders. More than one of her Clanmates gazed up at Shadowfur with only interest. Lightningstar stared down at Shadowfur, his yellow eyes blazing.

"How could you have done this?" he snarled. "How could you so easily fight against the cats you have grown up with?"

Shadowfur glanced up at Lightningstar, flicking an ear as though he found the black-and-white tom barely worth answering. "I have what I want in the Tribe," said Shadowfur, shrugging. "I can issue commands and have them obeyed. I can watch other cats grovel before me, recognizing my power. I am a joint leader with Nero." At this, Morning made a noise that sounded like a cross between a gasp anda hiss. Many cats exchanged puzzled looks. Sunfire, however, knew who Nero was; it was obvious. _How can they be so clueless?_ There was only one other leader of the Tribe.

And she appeared behind Shadowfur, her blue eyes glinting hardly.

The reaction was immediate. Instinctively, Sunfire, Icestorm, Raintail, and the other warriors stepped forward, shielding the elders and queens. Despite her move forward, Raintail was shaking, her eyes fixed fearfully on the midnight-coated fox. Sunfire now felt no trace of discomfort or fear; strength and courage pounded through her veins. She was a warrior of ThunderClan; she would fight to the death to defend her home and friends if she needed to.

But the black vixen–now identified as Nero–showed no signs of attacking. She calmly seated herself beside Shadowfur. The two black figures looked as they had in Sunfire's dream, and it was this that gave her a small jolt. The air felt tense, ready to break. Glancing at the sky, Sunfire saw the blood-red streak had stretched farther across the sky and had grown wider.

"This is touching," said Nero in her tree-being-ripped-up shriek of a voice. "The brave warriors standing up to defend the weaker." Sunfire repressed a shudder; the fox's voice gnawed at her ears and made her fur stand on end. Starting down the slope, Nero continued: "But how brave will the warriors be when we come walking into your home and demand you leave?"

"You've already done that," said Lightningstar, who had jumped down from the Hightree to join the line of warriors. "Moons ago. You threatened to kill us unless we ran, and did we run? The threat failed the first time; it will fail now."

Nero flicked her bushy tail, as though Lightningstar's words amused her. "Are you so sure, leader of ThunderClan?" She spat the words mockingly at him. "I have, after all, persuaded the_ brave_ Waterstar of RiverClan to join our ranks. Once I took a life of hers, she was quite willing to comply with my needs." Nero took a step closer to Lightningstar. "I'm quite sure you will be equally willing with just as much persuading."

This was the first thing the vixen had said that truly scared Sunfire. She could hear the frightened murmurings of her Clanmates, and Raintail was quaking harder, but she–and Treeshadow, she remembered–were the only cats who knew Lightningstar was on his last life. If he was killed, he would not wake up again.

Jaywing shifted, his claws fully extended. He was clearly eager to fight, and was just as clearly having difficulty restraining himself. Lightningstar had not given the order to attack. From the corner of her eye, Sunfire saw Softkit curiously poke her head out of the thick brambles of the nursery. The pale cream she-kit had started to step out of her shelter when a tabby leg–Waterdrip's–pulled her back inside. Orangestripe nudged Yellowflower, and the queen scooted over to the nursery.

"The warriors will not attack unless you order them to,"Nero commented, examining Lightningstar closely.

"Wouldn't your cats do the same?" asked Lightningstar politely, his tone light.

"Yes. But what would happen if you were to lose your final life?" Sunfire swallowed hard; it sounded like Nero knew how easily she could leave ThunderClan leaderless.

"My deputy would take over the Clan," answered Lightningstar calmly.

"What would you do if your kits were taken?" asked Nero, changing the subject. She was watching the nursery, where five pairs of kit's eyes gleamed from behind the brambles.

"We would get them back. Bargain." With every word ThunderClan's leader spoke, the Clan grew more tense. Sunfire was torn now; she wanted to attack, to drive the fox and Shadowfur away, but instinct told her to obey Lightningstar, who had not given the order to attack.

Nero swished her tail and started to walk along the line of warriors, looking each one in the eye. "I'm afraid I don't bargain, Lightningstar," she said, shaking her head and not sounding regretful at all. "I take what I want. No exchanges." She stopped in front of Raintail, who, though her shaking had mostly abated, still gave off a strong fear-scent. Nero looked over her, then moved on.

Icestorm was next. He showed no sign of attacking nor fleeing, but stood still, his head held high. Sunfire, standing as still as he, was ready to strike if Nero showed any sign of attacking him. Relief washed over her for a moment when the fox moved on wordlessly.

"Ah," sighed Nero, halting before Sunfire. "The warrior Sunfire. I've heard much about you from Shadowfur." Sunfire said nothing. Her claws burned, ready to tear the fox apart, but Mudspeckle, standing on her other side, nudged her warningly. "I know you are impulsive, and a cunning fighter," continued Nero. "You would make a powerful addition to my line of fighters." Curling her lips back to show her glinting fangs, the midnight-coated fox leaned forward, her sharp muzzle less than a whisker away from Sunfire's.

Sunfire snapped. Rearing up and extending her claws fully, she raised a forepaw and brought it down on the muzzle that had been thrust in her face. With a sharp yelp, the fox jerked her head away. Droplets of dark blood flew as Nero shook her head, rubbing at the long slashes that adorned her muzzle. Many of the other cats shifted, encouraged by Sunfire's move, but Lightningstar stepped forward.

"Hold the line!" he commanded. He turned to Nero, who stared at Sunfire, her pale eyes burning with pain and fury. Sunfire, likewise, was half–crouched, her claws still unsheathed, fire burning through her. "You will leave now," said Lightningstar in a low, even voice. "If one warrior made you recoil, think what all the cats in this Clan can do." Nero, looking furious, backed towards the slope. Now looking at Shadowfur, Lightningstar told him, "If you are seen in ThunderClan territory after sunhigh today, you will be killed." Shadowfur shrugged, looking completely unconcerned. He turned to leave as Nero joined him.

"Wait!" Startled, the Clan turned as one to see Sparrowbeak stepping forward. The streaked brown-and-white she-cat stepped up to the two black figures that stood and dipped her head to the ground. "Let me join your numbers," she begged, staring up at them. Nearly every cat either gasped or grunted in surprise, but Raintail was the loudest; Sparrowbeak had been her mentor, and the two were close friends.

Nero gave a barking laugh. "You see, Lightningstar? Your warriors are smarter than you. They know which is the better path to follow." Looking at Sparrowbeak, she continued, "Well, it would be foolish to refuse the help of those who come willingly to us. Shadowfur, what is she like?"

"A strong fighter, and obedient to her superiors. She'll do."

Sunfire felt sick as well as furious. To have an individual described like that! Shadowfur was speaking to Lightningstar.

"It is your need to see good in everyone and your belief that none of ThunderClan would _dare_ go against StarClan that makes you weak," he said. His voice was expressionless, but his eyes shone with hatred as he looked at Lightningstar. "I have chosen to step away from the path of StarClan. And see what I have become? Iam a second leader to the most powerful fighting force."

The Clan stood in shocked silence. His eyes gleaming, apparently pleased with the reaction he had caused, Shadowfur turned and started to slip away. Before his tail disappeared, Sunfire called him back.

"Shadowfur!" He turned and met her gaze. "All great leaders will fall, struck down by those they consider inferior to themselves." A flicker of something she couldn't identify appeared in Shadowfur's eyes before he turned and melted into the forest. Nero followed. Sparrowbeak was the last to leave; she did not look back, but hesitated for a moment before she, too, left ThunderClan behind.

;-;-;-;

"I just don't understand," said Raintail, her eyes downcast. "Sparrowbeak was one of my best friends. Why would she–?"

"She was probably afraid," cut in Darkcloud, his eyes dull. "Fear is a large motivation."

"Goes to show you never really know a cat," said Sunfire, looking up from grooming a burr out of her tail.

"Shadowfur is my son," said Darkcloud after a long silence. "I know he's ambitious, but I never thought he would do _this._"

"Not all sons follow their fathers," meowed Icestorm, looking grim. "Just as kits born of the same litter rarely have the same personalities."

_Truer words have never been spoken,_ thought Sunfire, looking over at Mudspeckle and Hawkclaw. ThunderClan's deputy was loyal and steadfast, and he cared for all in the Clan. His brother was a cold-blooded killer, caring for himself, looking for things that would benefit Hawkclaw and Hawkclaw alone.

Finally pulling the burr out of her tail, Sunfire examined Hawkclaw. She was surprised he hadn't followed Sparrowbeak's example and left; he plainly hated his brother for being a well-liked deputy, and he'd never showed any real connection to other cats.

"Morning?" asked Snowwind, looking over at the pale gray she-cat. "Is Nero–trying to find you? She must know it was you who saw her kill your old leader."

Morning started at the sound of the vixen's name, but she answered steadily. "She is knowing I live here now. She has seen me during the fights she initiates. It is control of all things smaller than herself, that is what she wants. She is always enjoying the fighting."

Sunfire saw Treeshadow slip under the willow branches of Lightningstar's den. She stood up abruptly, suddenly needing to know what the medicine cat and the leader were saying. As she stepped out of the den, she felt Icestorm's tail touch her shoulder.

"Where're you going?" he asked quietly.

"Out," she answered, leaning into him as he stepped up to stand shoulder-to shoulder with her. "I need to think." Which wasn't true, but he wouldn't let her leave the den if he knew she wanted to sneak up on Lightningstar and Treeshadow and eavesdrop.

"Can I come with you?" he asked, looking at her carefully. "It's not safe out there, now that–"

"I'll be fine!" she snapped, more sharply than she'd intended. "I'm a warrior. I can look after myself," she reminded him in a gentler tone.

He held her gaze for a few moments, his deep blue eyes unreadable. Then he nodded and turned back into the den. Sunfire looked after him, feeling slightly guilty and wondering if she'd hurt him. Shaking herself, she made her way up the slope, her scent mixing with those of the cats who had been sent out on patrol earlier. Fox scent still clung to the ground like a tick. A damp scent also hung in the air, foretelling a rapidly approaching storm.

Making a left, Sunfire stepped carefully down another part of the slope. This way was more difficult than the main entrance; there was no rock path, only ferns and slippery bark that had sloughed off from the surrounding trees.

A short, but long, granite boulder jutted up from the ground, shielding one whole side of Lightningstar's den. Taking a breath, feeling slightly nervous about listening in to a conversation between her leader and medicine cat, Sunfire crept up the rock and hoped neither cat could see her pelt, which shone brazenly against the stone. Voices drifted over to her; pricking her ears, Sunfire could just make out their words.

"That's all they've told you?" asked Lightningstar. Sunfire noticed black clouds were creeping over the sun.

There was a pause. Treeshadow spoke."All they've told me since the first Tribe attack. Every time I visit the Silverstone they repeat it, the exact same way." Thunder rumbled.

"'Remember the sun's birth.'" Lightningstar muttered it so quietly Sunfire barely made it out. "Maybe we're misinterpreting," he said after a moment, but he sounded as if he doubted his own words.

"We're not," replied Treeshadow sharply. "We just don't know where 'fang' comes in."

"Maybe the fox's name means 'fang'," suggested Lightningstar. The light faded as the storm clouds completely shrouded the sun. Lightning flickered as rain began pelting Sunfire, the drops falling fast and heavy. It became harder to hear their words over the drumming rain.

"It must. It's the only bit of the prophecy that doesn't make sense." Sunfire's pulse quickened; she didn't know there was a prophecy in the forest.

"'Shadow, ice, and fang will come together and form a darkness that may be penetrated only by the fire of the sun.' Lightningstar, did you plan it that way? By the _fire_ of the _sun_? _Sunfire_?" Suddenly, Sunfire felt dizzy. She stared at the granite without seeing it. A prophecy about _her_? For a fleeting second, she felt proud that there was a prophecy about her. Then it passed, and she felt cold. Why had no cat told her? From the sound of it, the prophecy had risen many moons ago, before or very soon after her birth.

Lightning flashed again, and as it did Sunfire heard a cat calling her name. Numbly, still shocked about the prophecy, she turned and hurried away from the den, going into the forest a little before doubling back. Squinting her eyes against the rain, she saw a pale shape standing. Weaving through ferns and saplings, Sunfire padded over to where Icestorm stood. His pelt, longer than hers, was already getting matted from the rain.

As she met his gaze, a faint, black flicker appeared over his shoulder. Time stopped as Sunfire watched a pale outline of the fox, rather like the spirit of Firestar, stalk up to stand beside Icestorm. Alarmed, Sunfire opened her mouth to call out when the shadow-fox disappeared. Icestorm blinked questioningly at her, silently asking why she wasn't coming. Shaking herself, Sunfire walked up to him, shoulders hunched against the rain, and, wordlessly, started back down the slope.

;-;-;-;

_Things aren't always what they seem. _–Traditional


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N:** I am SO sorry for the delay; had major problems uploading this.

**Chapter Sixteen**

It wasn't that Sunfire distrusted Icestorm; she just felt wary of him. She'd seen a shadow of Nero appear beside him three days before, so wariness was natural. He was still the same warrior. Still had the bizarre ability to combine good humor and seriousness. Still had the deep blue eyes, still...

Sunfire shook herself hard. _Focus. _ShadowClan border patrol. Coming back to herself, she noticed the rest of the patrol had gotten ahead of her. She took long strides until she was in second position, keeping her warrior's dignity up.

_Then again_, she thought with a guilty twist in her belly, _if he's still the same cat, why am I afraid of him?_ She wasn't going to lie to herself. The past three days, Sunfire had been more distant with him, stayed away from him. At night, she felt tense sleeping next to him. She was wary and afraid of him, and at the same time knew that nothing could possibly have changed in him.

"Sunfire?" Jerked from her thoughts, Sunfire looked up to see the patrol standing still, looking at her with narrowed eyes. Raintail had spoken. Her blue eyes concerned and her tail tip twitching, Sunfire knew her friend was silently asking if she was alright. After a moment, Sunfire realized why: she'd drifted several tail-lengths away from and behind the others. Raising her head, she stepped back over to them, her green glare daring any cat to comment. Badgerclaw, who was leading the patrol, threw a mocking glance over his shoulder before he continued on.

"What's up?" whispered Raintail as Badgerclaw paused to leave a scent marking.

Sunfire sighed and studied the sun-high sky, the sun glaring an intense white. "I'm fine."

"You're not," retorted Raintail, her tone sharper than Sunfire had ever heard it. "I've seen you these past few days. You–"

"Hey!" called Badgerclaw, his amber glare fixed on them. "We're patrolling, not gossiping." The patrolwas moving again.

"And we're not gossiping. That involves talking about other cats, an element distinctly missing from our conversation," growled Sunfire, but she got to her feet and caught up, Raintail beside her.

;-;-;-;

"Raintail tells me you're having a bit of a time," said Sorrelflower's voice.

Looking up from her magpie, Sunfire saw the tortoiseshell-and-white elder standing beside her. Feeling nettled, and not at all in the mood to have a discussion about the 'bit of a time' she was having, Sunfire shrugged and tore a wing off the magpie. "Lots to think about," she muttered.

Though she wasn't looking at Sorrelflower, Sunfire had the distinct impression that the old she-cat twitched her whiskers. "Like Icestorm?" she asked. Her tone was mild, but amusement was barely concealed beneath her casualness.

Sunfire jerked her head up, then lowered it, aware of the fact that feathers were stuck to her lips. Pawing them off, she looked up again, slower this time. A warmth burned through her, and she felt it mingle with the strange guilt. _No point in denying._ "Yes."

Sorrelflower lay down beside Sunfire and met her gaze. Sunfire noticed her amber eyes were becoming slightly clouded; blindness was starting to set in. "Fine young tom," said Sorrelflower. "Brave and loyal." Sunfire mumbled unintelligibly. Her guilt twisted.

"Strange, though," added Sorrelflower. "You're tense around him now, like something's happened. You always were very close and easy around him, more so recently." She said the latter with a flick of her tail and a sideways glance. StarClan, Sunfire hated this; discussions about relationships had never been her thing, even if she didn't have one. She told the elder as much.

"You'll never get anywhere avoiding conversations," Sorrelflower replied. "Just know that--" Sunfire didn't care what she should know.

"I'm due for a hunting patrol," she said abruptly, standing and mewing a good-bye as she headed for the slope. She wasn't, and the thick, still air wasn't ideal for hunting. _Just need to get away. _Sorrelflower made her feel even more guilty about distancing herself from Icestorm, and doing something else would take her mind off it.

Still, the familiar image came to her, one she'd seen at the Silverstone: Icestorm turning away from her, loss and anger in his eyes. Sunfire swallowed hard, feeling slightly ill now, and headed for the RiverClan border. Chances were slim, but she might find Pinefur there.

She had no luck. The RiverClan scent that always wafted over was faint; mere threads of it remained, like no RiverClan cat had walked here for over a half-moon. Disheartened, and wondering where her friend was, Sunfire turned away into her own territory.

;-;-;-;

After returning to camp, Sunfire lay outside the warrior's den with Raintail and Icestorm. Despite her wariness of him, Icestorm lay comfortably beside her like he always did, washing a forepaw. Earlier that day, he and Sunfire seemed to have reached an unspoken agreement to not discuss her sudden tenseness. Sunfire heself didn't quite understand how it had happened; she recalled the silent agreement came into being around when Icestormfoundher after she left the RiverClan border and rubbed his cheek against hers.

The still-present guilt clenched as Sunfire recognized the fact that she remained wary.

Narrowing her eyes to slits, Sunfire watched Lightningstar talking to Treeshadow across camp. Waterdrip was also there, as was her daughter Rootkit. Something nudged at Sunfire, a feeling that something important was being discussed. Before she could say anything, Lightningstar moved away to the nursery, where Yellowflower sat with her kits. The tawny queen said something to Lightningstar, who responded and flicked his ears. Yellowflower brightened as he did so, and dipped her head as Lightningstar turned away.

"Something's up with the kits," murmured Raintail.

"Maybe Softkit and Rustykit are being apprenticed," said Icestorm.

"They're nearly two moons too young," replied Sunfire, rolling her eyes.

"With all the trouble going on, maybe Lightningstar's planning to apprentice them early," suggested Raintail mildly.

Lightningstar himself came walking over to them, moving much slower than he usually did; the combination of the heat and his age undoubtedly caused that. "Could I see–" he began.

He never finished who he wanted to see or why: Snowwind came barreling down the slope, yowling, her eyes wide. Her long white coat was matted, and her breathing was ragged. The heat made those who were in camp drowsy and dull-witted; few were startled immediately. Sunfire, responding quickly, stood so fast her paws hardly touched the ground.

Snowwind, holding one paw above the ground, was sputtering out disjointed words. "Birch...four...Hawkclaw..." Sunfire felt flame and ice course through her at once. _She must've been patrolling and Hawkclaw came after her..._even as the thought raced through her Sunfire knew it sounded pitiful, at best.

"Birch Stream?" demanded Mudspeckle. Snowwind nodded weakly, and the deputy beckoned to cats with his tail. Sunfire scrabbled over, all laziness gone; she was the first out of camp. More warriors, including Mudspeckle, followed her. Disregarding the fact that Mudspeckle, as deputy, should be leading the patrol, Sunfire raised her tail and ran faster, a flash of pride running through her. The others could have passed her, but they chose to let her lead.

She felt like a leader, not one of the youngest warriors.

The lingering threads of pride vanished as a powerful blood-scent drifted over. Sunfire, in the lead, reached the stream first. What she saw stopped her dead.

Orangestripe lay on the ground, blood pooled around his neck, clearly dead. Hawkclaw stood over the tabby. His teeth were fastened around the warrior's neck. Sunfire only saw this for a split second before Hawkclaw, sensing the presence of others, dropped Orangestripe and stepped back hastily.

Bodies streamed past, jostling her. Hawkclaw stood still, his pale amber eyes fixed on Orangestripe's body. His flanks heaved, and he said in a voice thick with false sorrow, "It was the Tribe. Four of them. Snowwind ran to get help; Orangestripe and myself stayed and tried to fight them off. One of them got his teeth around his neck before I could pull him off."

Sunfire saw Mudspeckle give Hawkclaw a long, level look through narrowed eyes, as though trying to piece together what his brother had said. After a moment, the deputynodded and turned to Orangestripe. A wave of despair and anger swept over Sunfire; Hawkclaw certainly knew how to play the part of regretful warrior.

"_Liar."_ The word was whispered so quickly Sunfire thought she'd imagined it until she saw the faintest flash of dark orange tabby fur beside her. Turning her head sharply, she saw a pair of pale green eyes before they winked out. Orangestripe's spirit and voice, not Firestar's.

With a prickle of something unidentifiable, Sunfire turned again to see Hawkclaw staring at her coldly. His eyes burned with hatred she'd only seen in Shadowfur's gaze before now. Feeling both triumphant and, yes, frightened, Sunfire realized Hawkclaw knew that she had seen him with his jaws fastened around Orangestripe's neck.

;-;-;-;

"Orangestripe was a brave warrior, one who always saw to it that justice would be done. Let us now give thanks to StarClan for his life." The Clan was silent as Lightningstar spoke, and, as one, turned their gazes up to Silverpelt. Sunfire saw Yellowflower was the only cat who sat with her head down and shoulders hunched, eyes fixed on her dead mate. Then, slowly, cats stepped forward to join the tawny queen as shebegan hervigil.

Sunfire looked at the dead warrior, grief and hate rising. She extended her claws fully as she switched her gaze to Hawkclaw, who sat with his ears flat in false sorrow.

"Don't be angry he died," said the cracked voice of Sorrelflower. She sat upright, looking noble with moonlight and shadows dappling her fur more than it already was. The elder fixed her gaze on Silverpelt. "This is the way it was meant to be." With that, she moved to join the group clustered around Orangestripe.

Sunfire stared after her, skeptical. She never could believe things like that, when cats said things were destined to happen or it was the way things were meant to be. One event determined the next. One falter could cause the ultimate fall. Nothing was definite. The future was always shifting.

Did that make her one of the only cats in the forest who wasn't a fatalist?

Yes.

Swivelling her ears, Sunfire heard fading pawsteps. Turning around, she saw the darkly mottled pelt of Hawkclaw disappearing out an alternate entrance to camp. Growling, she stood and followed him. After only a few seconds, she saw him several fox-lengths ahead.

He walked tensely, his ears pricked and mouth open to scent. Sunfire didn't give much thought to stealthily trailing him, as other cats would have; on impulse, she took many long, quick, silent strides and thrust herself into the air. Landing on Hawkclaw's back, she heard his snarl of surprise as he tried to shake her off. Nimbly, Sunfire leapt off his back onto the ground and, with a trick she had taught herself, swept his paws out from under him. When he collapsed onto his flank, she pinned him down, growling and feeling flame run through her.

"Out of sheer curiosity, how many cats are you planning to murder in your lifetime?" she snarled, shoving her muzzle into his.

"As many as necessary," he answered smoothly, his eyes glittering. "Or as many as I am ordered."

Sunfire didn't like that, in more ways than one. "How many cats have you killed, _besides _Roseleaf and Orangestripe?"

"They are the first. Get off me before you join them."

Sunfire didn't move. "Why didn't you go with Shadowfur three days ago?" she demanded. "You have no place here."

In a move so sudden and skillful she never expected it, Hawkclaw threw Sunfire off him and pinned her down as he had done. Furious and humiliated, Sunfire tried to rise before Hawkclaw placed a long claw on her throat. "I fought Shadowfur for joint leadership of the Tribe," growled Hawkclaw. "And I lost. Now my work is here. Pity, isn't it,that not one cat will believe for an instant that I told you this." He slipped off her and ran for camp.

Scrambling up, Sunfire stared after him. She knew of the many enemies ThunderClan had outside of their camp, but somehow, the single enemy living among them was a much greater threat.

;-;-;-;

_A thousand enemies outside the house are better than one within. _–Arab proverb


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen**

Sunfire yawned and stretched, flexing her leg muscles. A moon had passed since Orangestripe had died, and, as predicted by many, RiverClan had not attended the last Gathering. Lightningstar had warned the other Clans that Shadowfur had turned traitor; he was not the only leader to do so. Two WindClan cats and a ShadowClan queen had also fled to Nero.

_Even if I'm the last warrior to remain in my own territory, _thought Sunfire, _I will stand my ground against all the others to my death._

A sudden murmur of voices outside the den awakened her more; standing, she pushed through the branches and saw a small crowd gathered around Nightwhisker, who looked pleased. Morning came trotting over to Sunfire, her amber eyes warm.

"Nightwhisker is to be having little ones soon," purred Morning.

Sunfire was unsurprised. "I heard her telling Badgerclaw last night," she said. She _still _couldn't see a single appealing aspect to Badgerclaw.

Morning narrowed her eyes. "I am curious. Why are there no warriors-in-training right now?"

"Apprentices, you mean?" All this time with the Clan and Morning still hadn't adopted some of their terms. When Morning nodded, Sunfire explained. "None of the kits are old enough. Yellowflower's aren't six moons yet." Sunfire headed towards the fresh-kill pile.

"Lightningstar's apprenticing them early," chimed in Raintail,joiningthem."Heard from Darkcloud."

Sunfire cocked her head. "How early?"

"In a quarter-moon."

"That's not that early," countered Sunfire. "They'll only be a half-moon early."

"I think they should have been apprenticed earlier," said Morning, her eyes darkening. "Bad things are happening. Deaths, betrayals...," she trailed off. The three were silent as they ate, and Morning began grooming Raintail; the two were good friends. "Still," she added, "I am fortunate to be living among ThunderClan. I like my adopted home. I like the cats here."

Sunfire looked at Morning for a moment. She'd spoken with complete sincerity, but a pawful of cats either distrusted or disliked her. Morning wasn't stupid; she clearly knew how some of the Clan felt about her. Yet she felt more connected to the cats of ThunderClan than Sunfire did, and Sunfire shared half their blood.

_Must be the loner in me,_ Sunfire thought. It wasn't that she hated ThunderClan; no, she would gladly die for the survival of the Clan. It was the cats she felt distant from. She was close to Icestorm and Raintail, of course, as well as Lightningstar and Sorrelflower. She got along with other cats pretty well, but she was more...separate from them.

A sharp hiss caught Sunfire's attention. Looking up, startled, she saw two cats heading down the slope. One was Mudspeckle, leading the second cat, whose fur was so ragged and mud-caked, it was difficult to determine what its original color was. When the cat turned its head, Sunfire knew her.

"Pinefur!" she exclaimed, making Raintail and Morning jump. Confused and pleased to see her friend, Sunfire trotted over, ignoring the other cats. "Why–?"

"She was in our territory, begging to see Lightningstar," said Mudspeckle. "I couldn't see any harm in it."

"Wait," said Darkcloud, peering closely at Pinefur. "Aren't you a RiverClan warrior?"

When Pinefur nodded, Quickriver snarled. "Then she's allied with the Tribe! We should drive her out or kill her!"

Sunfire faced the pale brown she-cat, angered. "Do you think–" she was cut off.

"Why are you here?" Lightningstar asked, emerging from his den. He was curious, polite, not harsh-voiced or demanding.

Pinefur turned to face him. Sunfire could see the range of emotions in her eyes: respect for Lightningstar; desperation; fear; determination. "I have come to ask you to allow me to stay here," she said, sounding embarrassed yet holding her head high.

Cries of disbelief rose from the cats who were gathered. Hawkclaw rose on his hind legs and yowled, "We already have two cats in this Clan who do not belong here–the half-blood and the Tribe-born!" He stared right at Sunfire as he said it. Some cats agreed with him, yowling all the more loudly. Others looked at Pinefur with pity, and, Sunfire noticed with a rush of satisfaction and warmth, Icestorm snapped at Hawkclaw.

"Pinefur," he began, looking at her carefully, "your leader made the decision to go to the mountains. As a warrior of RiverClan, you are bound to respect and obey her decisions."

"I'm not a warrior of RiverClan," said Pinefur, looking at him. "RiverClan is gone.By living in the mountains and attacking the Clans, we have discarded the warrior code. There is no more RiverClan. I am a loner with a Clan name. I will not fight against the Clans, I will not obey orders that tell me to."

Silence followed Pinefur's short speech. Sunfire was impressed at the power of Pinefur's words, and, from their faces, many other cats were as well.

"Do we let her stay?" called Badgerclaw.

Sunfire looked at Lightningstar, curious for his answer; he had given Morning a place in ThunderClan, but would he accept another outsider? Lightningstar sat with his eyes narrowed to slits.

"I need time to think on this," he said slowly. Raising his head, he beckoned to Mudspeckle. "This Clan meeting is over." He stood and slipped into his den, Mudspeckle behind him.

Sunfire stared after them. She saw Icestorm start over to her, and she glanced at Pinefur, who was talking to Treeshadow. Making a decision, she gave Icestorm a _wait-up-for-me_ look, then slunk over to Lightningstar's den. Flattening herself to the ground behind a dense bush, she pricked her ears; their words drifted over to her, faint and difficult to hear, but there.

"We've already given Morning a place to stay," Mudspeckle was saying. "And this Pinefur could be a spy. What if Shadowfur sent her here?" He spat the black warrior's name like it was poison.

"Morning has earned her place," said Lightningstar. "She hunts and patrols regularly, fights for us, and I've seen her guard the nursery more than a few times. And Pinefur..." A breeze picked up, carrying the rest of his sentence away. Nettled, Sunfire let out a short growl. Turning, she crept away from the willow tree, heading towards Icestorm and Raintail.

"What were you doing?" asked Icestorm, frowning.

"Eavesdropping," she said, shrugging.

Raintail looked alarmed. "Did they catch you?"

"I think you'd know if they did," answered Sunfire. "All I got was Mudspeckle asking if we should let Pinefur stay here."

"We can't send her away!" exclaimed Raintail. "She'd probably be killed if we cast her out!"

Sunfire looked over at Pinefur, who now crouched at the edge of the camp, slowly washing her mud-caked fur. Closing her eyes, Sunfire knew that Shadowfur would kill Pinefur if Lightningstar sent her back. Rising, she beckoned to Icestorm with her tail.

"Come on," she said, "Pinefur's never met you. And you'll be able to calm her down," she added to Raintail. "You give the best consolation, no sarcasm." Raintail brightened and waved her tail happily.

As they padded over to the former RiverClan warrior, Sunfire felt a strange sense of foreboding, like something crept through the shadows of the forest, waiting for the opportune moment to strike.

;-;-;-;

Sighing contentedly, Sunfire nestled closer to Icestorm, lazily resting her chin on her forepaws. Scents of salt and sand and water rushed up to them on a breeze from across the ocean. Stars glimmered overhead, and a whisker-thin slice of moon gleamed.

With ajolt, Sunfire realized something was wrong. Fear ran through her as she felt bitter cold seep through her fur, felt slick ice beneath her paws when there should have been sun-heated rock. She looked down from a much greater height than at the sun-drown-cliff. Jagged, black rocks stood in sharp contrast to the snow and ice.

Startled and confused at their sudden change of surroundings, Sunfire started to rise, only to find that movement sent her sliding to the cliff's edge. Digging her claws into the ice, she turned to Icestorm, as if he would know the answer to their apparent teleportation.

Who she saw both angered and startled her to the point that she took a step back--

–and her body slipped over the cliff.

Terror that Sunfire had never known ran through her, terror that she, always proud and careful of her dignity, would be reluctant to admit she felt. Scrabbling at the ice for a pawhold, she was both frozen and on fire: extreme fear paralyzed her and survival instinct invigorated her. Still struggling to haul her own weight back onto the cliff, Sunfire stared at the new arrivals.

Twin shadows sat side by side,one fox, one cat, both staring at her, eyes glinting cruelly. Icestorm had vanished.

Just as Sunfire's strength failed her and she fell, plummeting towards the icy rocks below, she wrenched her eyes open.

Dawn was still a long way off. Shivering and gasping slightly, Sunfire pushed herself to a sitting position, taking deep breaths to calm herself. Next to her, Icestorm shifted in his sleep, sending silver glimmers through the den as the moonlight caught in his fur. Suddenly unable to be beside him, Sunfire stepped over him and pushed out of the den.

Moving to the center of camp, Sunfire sat and bowed her head. This wasn't the first time she'd had dreams like this, dreams that warned her of upcoming events, but it scared her. In her other dreams, Firestar had been there, offering a small amount of comfort just with his presence. Why had he been gone this time?

Frustrated, Sunfire scored her claws against the ground, leaving three long impressions in the dirt. Each time she tried to comprehend her dreams, the more complex they became, holding hidden meanings. It was close to futile; trying and failing to decipher dreams.

;-;-;-;

_Tormented by the futility of life, _

_I can see the stars from a million miles_

–Single Gun Theory, _From a Million Miles_


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter Eighteen**

Sunfire picked up a mouse, carrying it over to the heap of brown and gray that was Pinefur. A day had passed since Mudspeckle had brought her to camp, and Lightningstar had said nothing about whether Pinefur would stay or go. Dropping the mouse, Sunfire nudged her.

Pinefur jerked her head up, bristling before she recognized Sunfire. "Sorry," she muttered. "Thought you were Shadowfur." After a moment, she added, "Heard Lightningstar talking to that tawny queen...Yellowflower? Something about mentors."

Sunfire's heart beat harder. Much as she wanted to mentor Softkit, there were warriors who were more likely to get her. Mudspeckle, Quickriver, even Badgerclaw. She, along with Raintail and Icestorm, would have to wait for Waterdrip's kits to be apprenticed, possibly longer. She felt a stab of irritation; _she_ thought she deserved to mentor Softkit, but she knew that Lightningstar would have said something to her by now.

"I was hoping to mentor a tom before Waterstar joined with Shadowfur," said Pinefur. "He'd be apprenticed by now." Bitterness clung to her voice.

Before Sunfire could speak, Darkcloud came up. "Lightningstar wants to see us," he announced, then politely waited for her.

Hope and excitement pounded through Sunfire. "See you later," she said to Pinefur, then, Darkcloud beside her, walked towards Lightningstar's den.

"Do you know what he wants?" asked Sunfire.

"I've an inkling," murmured Darkcloud.

Slipping under the willow's trailing branches, Sunfire saw Lightningstar sitting in his nest, rhythmically washing his chest. Hearing them enter, he raised his head. His yellow eyes gleamed.

"An important ceremony is taking place tomorrow," he began. Sunfire's heart beat hard and fast, hope flaring inside her chest. "Softkit and Rustykit are being apprenticed. I have selected you to be their mentors."

Sunfire felt dizzy. Despite her sitting position, she nearly staggered. She could only nod like Darkcloud, hoping Lightningstar understood.

"The ceremony will be after the evening meal." Sunfire barely heard him. When Darkcloud stood to leave, Sunfire followed, unsure how she felt.

"You should be honored," said Darkcloud. "Lightningstar could have selected many other warriors more experienced than you."

Nodding and dipping her head to the older warrior, Sunfire watched him walk away. In a rush, she needed to tell Icestorm and Raintail. Looking wildly around camp, she spotted them both.

"You alright?" asked Raintail, scrutinizing her. "You look odd."

"Lightningstar's chosen me to be a mentor," Sunfire said quickly.

For a moment, her friends just stared. Then her words sunk in. Raintail's eyes danced.

"He did? That's great!" She was so sincere Sunfire had to purr with her.

"Who's the other cat?" asked Icestorm, not moving towards her, his tone close to chilly.

Sunfire's purr faltered. "Darkcloud." Something was wrong. Icestorm wasn't...aloof like this. Something fairly largemust've happened to get Icestorm cold like this.

"Which kit are you getting? When's the ceremony?" asked Raintail.

"Don't know, and tomorrow evening."

Raintail tilted her head. "Strange that he waited so long to tell you."

Sunfire shrugged; she wouldn't have cared if Lightningstar had waited until minutes before the ceremony, so long as she became a mentor. She glanced at Icestorm; he stood unmoving, his eyes fixed on the ground.

"Aren't you the youngest warrior?" asked Pinefur, leaving the spot she'd been told to stay in and joining Sunfire.

"Along with Icestorm and Raintail," answered Sunfire.

"Big compliment that Lightningstar chose you, then."

Sunfire murmured agreement, forgetting what she'd agreed to; Icestorm had flicked his tail in farewell and was starting up the slope. _Something's up_. He wasn't himself.

"I'll see you later," she muttered to Pinefur and Raintail, weaving around them, and trotting to catch up with Icestorm.

Reaching the top of the slope, she saw his silvery banner-like tail disappear behind a bush. Pushing away the strange nervousness that rose inside her, Sunfire raised her head, hoped her fear didn't show, and ran after Icestorm.

She caught up with him seconds later, slowing her pace to match his. He acknowledged her presence only with a flick of an ear, and barely glanced at her.

"What's up with you?" she asked, surprised at the gentleness of her own voice.

He sighed and sat down, studying the sky. "I envy you," he said quietly, all trace of his sudden coldness gone."Raintail and I were made warriors with you, but you're the one who gets an apprentice first." He turned to meet her gaze, and Sunfire could not look away. "I wanted to be a mentor _with_ you," he continued. "Now you'll be around Darkcloud more." His tone turned bitter, and he looked away.

Sunfire was at a loss for words. Touched, warmed, and a little incredulous, she pressed her flank against his. "You think I'll enjoy mentoring with Darkcloud as much as I would with you?" She would also like to be a mentor along with Raintail, her best friend, but it was a different matter with Icestorm. Her words seemed to have worked; Icestorm faced her again and touched his nose to hers.

Sunfire knew she was shaking, her heart pounding powerfully, heat rushing to every hair on her pelt. With the deepest rush of affection she'd ever felt, along with a wave of nervousness, the question she ached to ask burned in her mind. Sunfire's courage surpassed that of many other warriors, but this required a different kind of courage, a kind that, she now knew, was a little shaky.

_Worst that'll happen is I'll feel like a complete and utter fool for the rest of my natural life,_ she thought, with no small amount of sarcasm. Steeling herself for a negative, she spat it out. "Do you love me?" She cursed herself; she'd really gone and asked it.

He twisted his ears as though unsure of what she'd said. Then his midnight-blue eyes glimmered. "I'm surprised you have to ask." He pressed his muzzle to hers.

Recognizing a "yes", Sunfire felt faint. Feeling worlds away from her impatient, dry-humored, and slightly short-tempered other self, a purr rumbled up in her throat, mingling with Icestorm's, as she leaned into him, feeling content to stay.

All in a horrible, unwelcome rush, she remembered her dreams. From just last night, where he abandoned her on the mountains; and the one from moons ago, where he turned away from her. Closing her eyes tight, Sunfire pushed down her fear and distrust, forcing the bristling of her tail to stop.

_StarClan, why Icestorm, too? Aren't Shadowfur and Hawkclaw enough?_

;-;-;-;

Sitting tall, her pelt blazing, Sunfire sat near the head of the Clan, pride pounding through her. Yellowflower sat with her kits on either side of her outside the nursery, her green eyes gleaming. Icestorm and Raintail flanked Sunfire; when Icestorm pressed against her briefly, Sunfire flicked her tail uncomfortably, yet purred.She was bound to crack under the pressure of her conflicting emotions for him, and she dreaded the day it would happen.

Lightningstar jumped onto the Hightree, waving his tail for silence. "We gather here this sundown for two reasons," he called, his yellow eyes roaming over the Clan. "First, a naming ceremony. Come forward," he said to Softkit and Rustykit. The she-kit bolted over, her tail straight up, eyes flashing with determination. Rustykit followed slowly.

"From this moment on, until they have earned their warrior names, these apprentices are to be known as Softpaw and Rustypaw. Darkcloud," Lightningstar turned to the black warrior, "you are without an apprentice since Badgerclaw became a warrior. You will be mentor to Rustypaw."

"Sunfire," continued Lightningstar, "you will be mentor to Softpaw." Raising her tail and head high, Sunfire walked over to the tawny apprentice, touching her nose to hers. The fact that nearly every cat yowled congratulations for her gave her a rush of satisfaction; she finally seemed to have been accepted as a loyal Clan cat, not just a half-blood.

Softpaw bounding beside her, Sunfire walked to the edge of the camp, holding her tail in a jaunty curl. Becoming aware that Softpaw was jabbering loudly, Sunfire silenced her with a nudge and turned her attention to the Hightree again.

"Second," Lightningstar continued, "I would like to offer Morning a true place among us. For several moons has she lived in our camp, hunting and patrolling as any warrior. In battle, she has proven her loyalties lie with ThunderClan. She has learned the warrior code. Morning," he found the gray she-cat, who looked self-concious yet pleased, "Do you accept the post of a ThunderClan warrior?"

Interested in her response, Sunfirecraned her neck to see Morning."I do," she replied.

"As a warrior of ThunderClan," Lightningstar continued, "you must have a warrior name." Sunfire, knowing what was coming, wondered if Lightningstar would use the traditional words; Morning had never been a ThunderClan apprentice. "From this moment on you will be known as Morningcloud. Your loyalty and determination is honored by ThunderClan." Slowly, the Clan began calling Morningcloud's name, as they would for any new warrior. Sunfire wondered if StarClan would accept Morningcloud; Lightningstar had not used the age-old words.

He slid off the Hightree, then moved to speak with Mudspeckle. _No word on Pinefur_, thought Sunfire. _Has he forgotten?_ Giving Softpaw a nudge in the direction of the apprentice's den, Sunfire felt weighted down by all that went on around her. The Tribe gaining Clan cats; Hawkclaw, and no catto believe her that he had murdered; her simultainious love and distrust of Icestorm; the need to mentor Softpaw to the best of her ability.

_StarClan, I have faith you watch over me and know theweight I carry. Keep in mind I can only do so much._

;-;-;-;

_Now I can only do so much and I will never deviate --_Headstones, _Cubically Contained_


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N:** Glad to see Morningcloud's ceremony was liked; I was hesitant to include it. This chap's pretty tranquil; you'll get some nice action in the next update.

**Chapter Nineteen**

"_What _is _that_?" Softpaw exclaimed, stepping forward, interested.

"_Quiet!" _hissed Sunfire. "And get back here!" she added. Softpaw bounced backwards, unaffected by the rebuke.

Sunfire flicked her ears. Glad as she was to be mentoring Softpaw, the tawny apprentice needed constant watching. _Was I like this with Lightningstar? _"It's a badger. Whenever you see one, don't go near it and tell a warrior where you saw it."

Softpaw frowned, peering at the black-and-white creature that lumbered through the undergrowth. "It looks too bulky and slow to put up much of a fight."

"When they're provoked, you'll think otherwise. They're not the most elegant creatures, but when they're mad, they wreck havoc."

Softpaw nodded, then sprang into the air, her claws reaching for a small, white butterfly. When it fluttered out of reach, she frowned with concentration, wriggled her rump, and leapt for it again, this time snagging a wing. Thumping back to the ground, Softpaw waved her tail happily as she stood over her catch.

Sunfire purred, mildly amused at the gleam of pride in her apprentice's eyes. Only on her fourth day of training, Softpaw had proven herself to be fearless and determined, refusing to abandon a task until it was complete. _A fine warrior once she's trained. _Sunfire knew such determination could also put Softpaw in danger, especially in battle; the she-cat might keep fighting no matter how outnumbered she was.

Sunfire saw a rabbit crouching under a bush a few fox-lengths behind Softpaw; resisting the natural impulse to go after it, she waited to see if Softpaw would detect it. Sniffing the air, Softpaw turned around and saw the rabbit snuffling at the ground; its scent blew over to them,so it had not noticed them.

"Can I catch it?" whispered Softpaw excitedly.

"Go ahead. Remember the proper stalk."

Flattening herself, Softpaw pulled herself towards the rabbit, stepping lightly, freezing when it turned toward her. Sunfire thought she had a chance until the wind shifted and the rabbit scented her, flashing its tail and bounding away.

In a tawny flash, Softpaw bolted after it, her paws kicking up dirt and dead leaves. Leaf-fall had begun, and some saplings had already shed a few leaves. Sighing, Sunfire stood, ready to follow Softpaw–she wasn't trained well enough to be safe on her own yet–when a sharp snap sounded behind her. Turning around, Sunfire strained to see a flash of fur; the wind blew her scent towards whatever was behind her._ Shadowfur? Hawkclaw? _A dark gray foreleg appeared from behind a tree, followed by a long, thin body.

"Sunfire." It was a statement, not a question, and he looked straight at her, his emerald eyes glittering.

Instinct propelled her forward, knocking the tom down, pinning him to the ground. Hissing a warning, Sunfire, was about to give the intruder a bite to think about when she took in his face.

It could have been her own, save for the fur color. Ear, eye, and muzzle shape, exact same eye color...she knew him. "Alexander," she said, trying not to stumble over the strange, almost foreign, name. Her loner father here, calling her by her name. _How does he know me?_

"Could you retract your claws?" he asked politely.

"In theory, yes. In reality, no. I'm a ThunderClan warrior; my duty is to defend my territory."

She didn't know why she was purposely hurting her father; he wasn't bothering to fight back and looked like he had no intention of stealing prey.

He was about to reply when Softpaw burst from the undergrowth, the rabbit dangling from her jaws. She saw Alexander and dropped the rabbit. "Is he an intruder? Are we going to bring him to Lightningstar?"

"No," Sunfire said. The desperate look in her father's eyes told her that right now, only she could hear what he had to say. "We're going to let him talk." Loners never entered Clan territory without reason; he must have something to say. Sunfiresheathed her claws and stepped off him, allowing him to rise. He licked his shoulders where her claws had drawn tiny pricks of blood. "How do you know me?" asked Sunfire. "You've never seen me."

He looked at her. "Roseleaf visited me in a dream and told me," he said, sounding unsure of his own answer. "I saw you standing on a hill, and she told me your name and that you were my daughter."

Softpaw interrupted. "But he's a loner! StarClan don't send dreams to loners."

Alexander looked at Softpaw. "Is this your kit?"

"No. My apprentice." Sunfire felt strange talking to her father; she was four seasons old and had never met him. Two instincts fought inside her: one said to protect ThunderClan territory and drive him out; another said he was her kin and should not be harmed.

"StarClan," he said suddenly. "I remember Roseleaf talking about them. They're your ancestors, right?" Sunfire nodded, and then realized her father probably had no idea Roseleaf was dead. He continued: "But if Roseleaf appeared to me in a dream, then–"

Sunfire finished it for him. "She's dead. Moons ago." She almost growled as she pictured Hawkclaw running away from her body. Meeting Alexander's gaze squarely, she murmured, "She wanted me to tell you that she loved you." Mild grief washed over Sunfire for her dead mother, then passed; she had long gotten used to the fact that Roseleaf was no longer alive.

Her father made a strange keening noise, lowering his head to the ground. Lashing his tail, he stayed like that for almost a minute before he raised his head. His eyes were dull, but he said, "I should have known, after she stopped coming. After you became an apprentice, she would see me sometimes, tell me how you were."

A soft wind blew through the forest, like a sigh of regret and loss; Sunfire thought she caught the sweet, flowery scent of her mother, but decided it was the nearby wildflowers. "Why are you here?" she asked him sharply.

He sighed. "I know the troubles the Clans are having. I know of the Tribe, and of the black fox and black tom that command it. I know they are using fear to 'encourage' cats to join their ranks. They have entered my land more than once." Softpaw started to say something; Sunfire nudged her. She wanted to hear this. "I can help the Clans," he said, meeting her gaze. "I can go to the mountains, lend the Clans eyes and ears. When I know something, I can report to your leaders."

Thunder rumbled overhead; thick, dark clouds were rolling in, heralding a storm. Sunfire considered. It would benefit the Clans to have a spy in their ranks, and naturally the Tribe would not suspect a loner to be helping Clans; in the forest, there were Clan cats and those who were not, and the two groups rarely mixed.

"Why do you want to help the Clans?" asked Sunfire. "You have no ties of loyalty to StarClan or the warrior code."

His eyes blazed, and Sunfire saw how she must look when challenged. "Regardless that I have never met you, Sunfire, you are my kin. I love Roseleaf, a Clan warrior." Sunfire noticed he didn't use past tense when mentioning Roseleaf. Rain began to fall, gray and cold. _Good. _It would wash away his scent.

"I'll tell Lightningstar a loner has offered to help us," she said, and nodded to her father. Seeing her dismissal, Alexander nodded in return and ran off as the rain began falling in thick sheets, his pelt disappearing through the drops. Sunfire wasn't sure about this; could one cat be a spy for so many?

As Sunfire beckoned to Softpaw, who picked up her rabbit, the faintest image of Roseleaf flickered before Sunfire. Her amber eyes glowed before she vanished in the downpour.

;-;-;-;

"He offered to help the Clans because he has one Clan kit?" Mudspeckle looked incredulous. "How can he be much help? Nero and Shadowfur aren't stupid; they'll know he's up to something."

"One cat can shift the balance of everything," countered Lightningstar.

Sunfire sat beside Mudspeckle, Darkcloud, Snowwind, and Quickriver; Lightningstar had called the deputy and senior warriors to his den after Sunfire told the Clan Alexander's offer of help. Sunfire thought it was worth a try; maybe he could convince some Tribe cats to side with the Clans.

"But will WindClan and ShadowClan accept help?" asked Snowwind. "ShadowClan are proud, and WindClan are many. Do they–"

"WindClan's closest to the mountains," cut in Sunfire. "You've been to the past few Gatherings, they're being attacked like mad. We've had a big break from the Tribe. I'd say Hickorystar would be more than ready to accept any help."

"The Clans need to band together," put in Darkcloud. "If the forest is to have eyes in the Tribe, all Clans should be informed of coming danger, not just us. If the Clans are to survive, we must join our numbers."

Quickriver, oddly, had been completely silent; like Sunfire, she almost always had something to say. Then she spoke up. "The Gathering's in a few days. Why don't we tell the other Clans of this loner's proposal then? That way we don't have to endanger our own pelts by strolling into their territory."

Sunfire turned to Lightningstar. The old leader was nodding slowly. "_I _will not turn away a cat who offers to help the forest remain in StarClan's paws." With that, he flicked his tail in dismissal.

;-;-;-;

"It just seems dangerous to be so...trusting. He made a good choice when he gave Morningcloud a place to stay; she's been nothing but a boon to the Clan. I trust Pinefur not to harm us.But what if trusting the loner is the one wrong move?"

Sunfire shifted, pressing her flank more firmly against Icestorm's. "We can trust him. I'm not saying that because he's my father; it's intuition." Really, she knew that if trusting Alexander was a bad move, Firestar would have told her something. She had faith in ThunderClan's past leader.

Icestorm made no comment, only rasped his tongue over her ear. Sunfire purred, taking a deep breath of the cool night air.

"_The shadows come."_

Sunfire stopped herself from jumping; the words had been spoken directly into her ear. A flicker of flame-colored fur hovered above the lake for a moment: Firestar. _The shadows come? _With a needle of anger, Sunfire knew.

"They're coming," she whispered to Icestorm.

He ceased licking her cheek. "Who? I can't scent anybody."

Sunfire stood, peering into the shadows behind her, then across the smooth surface of the lake. "Shadowfur and Nero. They're coming."

Icestorm frowned and stood, the nearly-full moon glinting off the silver in his coat. "Where?" As he said it, a breeze stirred the trees and sent neat ripples across the lake. Sunfire turned to the reeds that marked the start of what had been RiverClan's territory, a growl rumbling in her throat. Two pairs of eyes flashed, orange and ice-blue, then winked out. Fox- and cat-scent drifted over to Sunfire and Icestorm.

Icestorm crouched, his muscles tense. "Let's go after them. They won't just let us sit here unharmed."

Sunfire deflated, yet the anger lingered. "Don't bother," she said. "They're gone."

Icestorm met her gaze, his eyes unreadable. "They'll be back." He said it with certainty.

;-;-;-;

_They come creeping out of darkness, and to darkness they return. _-Heather Alexander, _Nightblades_


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: **Taking a moment to say...wow. Twenty chapters. It amazes me to see how much Sunfire has done...and how much she has to do. I hope it doesn't take another twenty chapters to complete this. Anywho...

**Chapter Twenty**

"Sunfire?"

Blinking awake, Sunfire raised her head to see Mudspeckle standing over her. Forcing herself up, she swallowed a yawn. "Yes?"

The deputy stepped back to give her space. "I want you to go to the lake today. Smells like the Tribe have been hanging around; just renew the scent markings, let them know we're watching."

"Won't do any good. They'll come regardless."

He flicked an ear, irritated. "Renew the scent markings," he repeated shortly. "Take Softpaw and some warriors." Stifling another yawn, Sunfire bowed her head and waited for him to leave before stretching slowly. She and Icestorm had gone out again last night, alternating between talking and grooming, staying up long past moonhigh.

_It was worth it, though, _Sunfire reflected, licking a forepaw. By moonhigh her misgivings towards him had faded a little. _Maybe we should do that more often. Soon I'll convince myself the prophecy's wrong and it _isn't _him._

_Good luck in that, _she added as a dry afterthought.

"Sunfire!" Raintail trotted forward, her gray tail held aloft. "Nightwhisker had her kit last night!"

"Only one?" Raintail nodded. "Has she named it yet?"

Raintail nodded. "Granitekit. He looks a lot like Badgerclaw."

Sunfire nodded, showing she had heard. "Maybe I'll see him later." She stretched her hind legs, feeling tendons pop. "You up for a jaunt? I've been assigned to lead a futile patrol."

"Sure. Want me to get anyone else?"

"One more warrior should be plenty."Raintail nodded and headed for the den. Sunfire shivered as a chilly wind blew through the camp; leaf-fall had abruptly kicked greenleaf out of the forest. Raintail came back over, Morningcloud beside her. Sunfire called to Softpaw, who was curled up outside the apprentice's den like a tawny ball of moss. Softpaw sprang up and trotted over, her fluffy tail sticking straight up. "Where are we going?"

"The lake. Mudspeckle wants us to renew the scent markings." Softpaw, amber eyes dancing, sped up the slope, sending small stones clattering down behind her.

Raintail looked after her. "You know, Sunfire, she reminds me of you." Sunfire said nothing, only flicked her tail and headed up the slope. Softpaw, upon seeing them, waited for them to catch up before bounding ahead of them.

"Softpaw!" called Sunfire. She stopped, turned, and hurried back. "Stay behind me," she told her apprentice. "Our scent's blowing ahead of us. It's impossible to tell if there's anything around that shouldn't be."

Softpaw lowered her head and tail and slunk behind Sunfire. Bending low, Sunfire gave Softpaw a quick lick on the head. "Come on," she said, starting towards the lake.

No one said anything along the way, giving Sunfire time to take in the surroundings. The younger trees' leaves were already turning from their rich emerald to burnished gold and rusty brown. Small piles of dead leaves lay in patches under their trees. Some flowers were withered, while others were still in full bloom. The dirt was dry and crumbly underpaw, the rain from a few days ago having dried completely up. Ahead of them, Sunfire saw a faint flicker of red.

"_Beware the fang. It strikes without warning." _

She almost stopped dead. It had been a while since Firestar had told her anything, and his sudden appearance surprised her. _Firestar? _she asked silently.

"_It comes." _He fully materialized for a few heartbeats, his green eyes wide. When he faded, a bitter chill swept over Sunfire. This time she did stop, shivering violently; it wasn't the wind. Every hair on her pelt prickled with unease, yet she felt super-charged, full of flame.

"Why'd you stop?" asked Raintail.

Sunfire craned her neck, peering into the undergrowth. "Something's wrong," she said slowly. "Someone's here who shouldn't be."

A harsh, grating voice spoke up. "Rather the contrary. I've said it for moons: it's ThunderClan that shouldn't be here." The owner of the voice stepped out of the undergrowth.

Sunfire swore. Instinctively, she and Raintail stepped up to shield Softpaw; Morningcloud followed suit. Standing before them, like a solid, living shadow, was Nero. Her pale eyes glittered, and she curled back her lips to reveal her fangs.

Half-growling, Sunfire said in a low voice, "Leave. You're grossly unwanted." She remembered when Nero and Shadowfur had come into camp, and how talking had prevented the fox from attacking. Sunfire would've preferred to strike, to make the vixen recoil, but talk was useful. It gave information.

Nero gave one of her piercing laugh-barks. "Any more of your _loyal_ warriors care to join my line of fighters?" She gave _loyal _a nasty twist. Sunfire fully extended her claws, bared her teeth, growled a warning. Nero repeated the laugh-bark. "You fail to frighten me, cat. It's all bluffing. A whole line of _loyal _Clan warriors can stand and bare their teeth, raise their hackles, but they will _never_–" In one fluid movement, Sunfire crouched, bunching her powerful leg muscles, then sprang, exhilaration and fury flooding her veins. She heard the strangled yelp Nero emitted when she collided, felt her claws sink into the thick, midnight-black pelt.

Nero had the advantage of size, but Sunfire had the advantages of being battle-trained by one of the best fighters in the forest, agility, and precision of aim. Her lunge had been altogether unexpected by the fox, who had let down her guard, relaxed her muscles. _Surprise is the warrior's greatest weapon. _Hadn't she heard Lightningstar repeat that so many time when she was his apprentice?

Recovering from her initial shock, Nero rolled, pinning Sunfire beneath her. Sunfire, unable to move or breathe with the weight on her chest, attacked the only part of the fox she could reach: one of the huge forepaws. Twisting her neck, she sank her teeth into the thick-furred paw, tasting blood before Nero ripped it out of her grasp. Getting to her feet, Sunfire saw the others standing in stunned silence, unsure of what to do. Nero jumped for her; Sunfire dropped to the ground, turned, and rushed the fox. Tactics racing through her mind, Sunfire swerved at the last second, effectively confusing Nero. Turning on a dime, Sunfire reared slightly and scored her claws down Nero's face, over a frosty eye. Nero recoiled with a shriek.

With her tail, Sunfire beckoned the others over. Without a moment's hesitation, they came, and surrounded the fox, who had her injured eye squeezed shut as blood dripped from it. Triumphantly, panting a little, Sunfire placed both forepaws on the vixen's throat, claws just pricking the skin.

"You're atrocious in battle," hissed Sunfire. "You confuse strength and size for skill. If it weren't for the already-trained cats you've got following and protecting you, you'd be dead in a full battle." She leaned close, muzzle-to-muzzle. "I've made my mark on you, and you have not marked me. Consider that." Growling, satisfied at the glimmer of fear in the single blue eye, Sunfire stepped off. "Right, let her up," she told the others. "I'd venture a guess she knows she's hopeless against all of us together."

With a filthy look from her good eye, blood still oozing from the damaged one, Nero stood, snarled, and turned to leave. She was soon swallowed up by the forest.

"Are we to be chasing her?" asked Morningcloud, looking a little shaken.

Sunfire shook her head. "No need. She's scared well." Sunfire flexed her muscles; she could feel bruises forming where she'd been pinned down.

"When will you teach me to fight like that?" Softpaw asked, amber eyes gleaming.

Sunfire managed a small smile. "When you're older." Scanning the forest, scenting the air in case any Tribe cats were lurking, Sunfire added, "We should get back to camp, let Lightningstar know Nero's showed her vile muzzle again. We need to send patrols to scan the whole territory; she doesn't usually come alone." Beckoning with her tail, she started back to camp. Raintail stepped up to her side.

"Do you know how much you sound like Mudspeckle sometimes?" she asked.

"No. How's that?"

Raintail licked her lips. "Well, you sound... authoritative. Like a deputy who's held herposition for seasons."

Sunfire snorted. "I'll never be made deputy. I'm too impulsive. I'm snide to cats I don't like; I don't even _try _to be civil."

"You're a natural leader, though. That counts for something."

Sunfire didn't respond, but she _did _like the idea of being deputy.

;-;-;-;

"You fought her by yourself?" Lightningstar's eyes widened.

Sunfire quirked her whiskers. "Is that meant to be a compliment or an insult?" she asked drily. Not waiting for an answer, she added, "Yeah, I did. Not that hard. She doesn't know how to fight; she puts all her trust in her size and strength. And now she's probably blind in one eye." Sunfire couldn't keep a tinge of self-pride in her voice.

Lightningstar nodded absently, his gaze fixed on something well beyond the branches of his den. At length, he spoke slowly. "Sunfire, I value your opinion as much as Mudspeckle's, Sorrelflower's, or Treeshadow's." He turned to meet her gaze, looking as though he was having trouble focusing. "What do you think we should do with this whole mess?"

Proud and honored that her leader considered her thoughts well worth considering, Sunfire took her time answering. Running a forepaw over her whiskers absently, she said, "We're at risk, whatever we do. We're decidedly unsafe in alliance with the Tribe, we're submitting ourselves to injuries and death in defying them, it's dangerous to post Alexander as a spy...Pinefur thinks she's putting us in danger staying here, actually. Right now, I think the only thing we can do is know what to do with the right moment when it comes."

Lightningstar nodded, suddenly looking his old age. With a twinge, Sunfire remembered he was on his last life. _StarClan, we need him. Don't let him die. This is no time for us to be leaderless. _

;-;-;-;

_There's no safety in alliance_

_And much peril in defiance _–Heather Alexander, _Nightblades_


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: **Deepest regards, reviewers!

**Chapter Twenty-One**

"Hello, Sunfire."

Turning, Sunfire nodded in greeting to the tom who stood behind her. Foxtooth, ShadowClan's deputy, had fur such a dark ginger as to be nearly brown, and his upper canine fangs extended down to just below his lower lip, impairing his speech somewhat and giving him a sinister appearance. Sunfire, who had seen him at Gatherings for moons, knew his vicious looks were in sharp contrast to his gentle manner.

"Any trouble with ThunderClan?" Foxtooth always spoke slowly, making sure he could be understood.

"Nero in our territory a few dawns ago, but she left quickly."

His eyes darkened. "She'll be back. She never leaves without taking something: a new cat, a slice of territory, a life..." he trailed off.

Sunfire started to say it was Nero's cats who killed, not Nero herself, but Lightningstar's yowl signaled the Gathering's official start. Nodding farewell to the ShadowClan deputy, Sunfire slipped between two WindClan elders to settle beside Icestorm and Raintail.

"Should be interesting," Sunfire muttered to them, "to see what the other leaders think of Alexander's offer." Raintail murmured agreement.

Lightningstar began speaking. "Cats of WindClan and ShadowClan, I bring news of help. For all of us." He glanced at Hickorystar and Reedstar, then plowed on. "A loner by the name of...Alexander," he hesitated before saying the name, getting his tongue around the strange syllables, "has offered his services to the Clans. He is offering to join the Tribe and become our eyes, our ears." He looked over to the other leaders, waiting for their opinions.

"Has ThunderClan already accepted this offer?" growled Hickorystar, the dark brown tom who led ShadowClan.

"No. We have postponed our decision until you make yours. May I just say that unless we all agree, it seems pointless to accept his helping paw."

Reedstar shifted, his golden-brown fur turned silver in the moonlight. "We–WindClan, that is–have been discussing what we would do if something like this came up." He paused, glanced at his cats as if reassuring himself, then said, "We have hurt badly by the Tribe. We have been ready for moons to accept _any_ offer of aid." He met Lightningstar's gaze. "I agree."

Hickorystar snorted. "You are willing to put all your faith in one cat you have never met before? You never think for a moment he will turn on us? Learn our secrets and use them against us? _I _refuse to accept help from _any _cat. ShadowClan will stand alone."

Evidently, many of his cats disagreed with him. Observing them closely, Sunfire noticed half-healed wounds on many of them, and some were looking harsh-leaf-bare thin.

"We can barely defend ourselves as it is!" snarled a tabby she-cat. "They steal our prey, kill our kits remorselessly!"

"Suffering makes us all stronger," said Hickorystar in a cold voice.

A black ShadowClan apprentice shouted a retort so filthy Sunfire's eyes widened; Raintail and many of the elders gasped. She wouldn't have thought a cat that young would know such profane language. "That's the attitude that got my brothers killed!" he hissed at his leader once he finished cursing.

"He'll be in trouble after the Gathering," commented Icestorm.

Lightning flickered overhead.

"Settle these things back at your camp!" snapped Lightningstar. "We need to know _tonight,_ Hickorystar,if ShadowClan will accept the offer!" Sunfire felt a twinge of fear in her belly; she'd never seen Lightningstar lose his temper.

Thunder cracked.

"StarClan are angry," whispered Sorrelflower.

Hickorystar looked close to murderous. His pride, which far surpassed that of Sunfire's, refused to let him accept help from any cat, much less an outsider. In a flash, Sunfire remembered something the brown tom couldn't deny.

"A Clan leader must follow the wishes of their Clan," she called. All eyes turned in her direction. "If the majority of your Clan say they need help, you are bound by the warrior code to satisfy that need, or risk all-out mutiny." She looked squarely into Hickorystar's burning eyes, which, as a full minute passed in tense silence, dulled and he lowered them to the ground.

"Alright," he muttered, so quietly that Sunfire, right at the base of the tree, barely caught his words. "I accept." Lightningstar and Reedstar nodded; the WindClan leader relaxed his bristled shoulder fur with relief.

Lightningstar wasted no time describing what Alexander looked like, having heard a detailed description already from Sunfire. "At our first opportunity," he was saying, "We will tell him the Clans have accepted his offer. From there, we will determine how often he will visit the Clans and where."

A ripple of agreement went through the crowd, and Sunfire was surprised how readily the warriors around her had agreed to work with her father. _Random stroke of luck._ Dimly, she heard Lightningstar announce the birth of Nightwhisker's kit, the news of the two new ThunderClan apprentices. The other leaders relayed similar news afterwards; Sunfire tuned them out. Letting herm mind wander, it was only when Icestorm nudged her to her feet did she realize the Gathering had ended.

"Lucky they all agreed," said Raintail, her eyes shining with worry; she always feared a fight would break out at a Gathering. Sunfire grunted assent, her mind now fixed on more pressing matters: Icestorm. She had a choice: tell him about the prophecy, let him work out her suspicions on his own, and wait in fearful apprehension of his reaction; or never tell him why she was occasionally tense around him and just wait to see how things went. Everyday now she saw, in her mind's eye, Icestorm turning away from her, midnight eyes glittering with mixed emotions. Sunfire admitted to herself that she felt sick with worry over losing him; she could very well be erroneous in her guess that he was involved with the Tribe.

_Firestar, help me. You know I'd never beg unless I truly couldn't work it out on my own._

She looked upwards, hoping to see a reassuring twinkle of starshine, but the sky was completely overcast.

;-;-;-;

Sunfire blinked awake, her mouth uncomfortably dry. Reluctantly uncurling from the tight ball she was in, she stood, picked her way around the other warriors, and emerged into the night. A stripe of sky was paler than the rest, hinting at the approaching dawn. Half-asleep, having gotten to sleep later than usual because of the Gathering, Sunfire padded towards the stream near Lightningstar's den. Bending her head, she lapped up the water, which brought her to an unwanted alertness due to the cold. Snorting, knowing she'd never get back to sleep now, Sunfire turned and headed back to the den. A flash of movement caught her eye.

Turning, half-expecting one of the Tribe, she peered into the predawn shadows and saw the mottled pelt of Pinefur hovering at the foot of the slope. Her friend's posture, flat ears, low body, and rapidly twitching tail, told Sunfire Pinefur hadn't been keen on seen. Frowning, Sunfire headed over to her, inexplicable apprehension twisting in her belly.

"What're you doing?" she asked Pinefur.

The former RiverClan warrior twisted her ears, looking shifty and unsettled. She sighed. "I'm leaving. I'm putting ThunderClan in danger by staying here. D'you know why Nero came a few days ago?" She didn't wait for an answer. "Because she knew I came here. She's berserk that I slipped past her guards, and she's going to keep coming back until she's killed me."

"That's stupid. She'll come back whether you're here or not," Sunfire scoffed, but she saw a measure of truth in Pinefur's words; Nero didn't like anyone getting the better of her.

Pinefur shook her head stubbornly. "I'm going. _Nobody _here should die because of me." She paused, looked at the pale stripe of sky. "You're in danger because I'm here, Sunfire. I'm leaving."

Sunfire was perturbed at the thought of Pinefur going on the run, endangering herself more. "What if a whole Tribe patrol finds you and attacks? You can't take them on yourself."

"I'll be fine," insisted Pinefur.

"You'll be dead."

"Very direct, aren't you?"

"Bluntness is preferable to beating around the bush."

Pinefur didn't reply, only stared at the sky. Then she turned her head, and Sunfire nearly flinched at the fierceness and determination that burned in her pine-green eyes. "I'm going," she repeated, her tone unexpectedly steely. "I can make my way as a loner. I'll cut along the old RiverClan border, way on the far edge of the territory where hardly anybody goes. I'll keep going until I find unoccupied land."

Sunfire's chest hurt at the thought of having a friend far away, beyond easy contact. Both of them knew how far Pinefur would have to go to find empty land; loner territory was often almost as expansive as a Clan's. Neither mentioned this, though, and at length Sunfire nodded. "Go, then." She could see Pinefur was adamant about leaving. Not normally one to give up so easily, Sunfire noticed Pinefur looked slightly confused at her sudden agreement. Far in the back of her mind, something told Sunfire letting Pinefur go was the proper thing to do–that it would be for the better that way.

Pinefur nodded slowly, her eyes darkening. "Good hunting, Sunfire. This won't be the last time we talk; I'll be sure of that. I'll see you again someday." She hesitated. "I know it seems wrong to leave when the Clans need every last warrior fighting for them, but this...isn't my time." She touched her nose to Sunfire's and walked up the slope, out of sight.

Sunfire sat still. Her chest ached with the pain of losing a friend; Pinefur, despite her optimistic words, could very well be killed before Sunfire saw her again. _StarClan keep her safe._

Tension was mounting within Sunfire; leaf-fall had come around, bringing with it a frosty chill that rarely struck this early; one of her friends had just abandoned the life of a warrior, abandoned the beliefs she once fought for; and much of her energy went towards her decision about what to tell, or refrain from telling, Icestorm. She wanted to love him, but that would be impossible unless she could fully trust him. Given what the prophecy said, she just _couldn't. _

_StarClan, I'm going to break soon._

;-;-;-;

_Which would be worse: not knowing anything of the future, or knowing bits of it but not knowing when they'll happen? _–BG


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: **Thanks to reviewers! Sorry for the delay; the last segment of this chap was hard to write. No updates next week; I'm going on vacation.

;-;-;-;

"Define _'left'_," snarled Hawkclaw.

If looks could kill, Sunfire would've turned Hawkclaw into smoldering ash. "The opposite direction of 'right,'" she growled. Before he could spit, she added hotly, "It's self-explanatory."

Hawkclaw started to snarl, but Lightningstar silenced him with a soft growl.

"Why would you let her leave?" demanded Quickriver, her narrowed eyes fixed on Sunfire. "She could be reporting things to Shadowfur _right now–_"

"What does she have to report?" asked Darkcloud mildly. "Pinefur was not with us for long. She left her designated spot only to drink, feed, and make dirt."

Quickriver had no response. Sunfire was seething, glaring at the brown she-cat and Hawkclaw; Quickriver never failed to have a criticism about the way things were run in ThunderClan, and Hawkclaw was, well, himself.

"She left," Sunfire said, her words slightly muffled from clenching her teeth, "because she thought she was endangering us by staying here."

"She's more dangerous to us on the loose," growled Hawkclaw. "You shouldn't have–"

"I believe what Sunfire did was right," commented Mudspeckle lightly, speaking for the first time. "I trust the decisions she makes for ThunderClan." He dipped his head to her.

Honored, Sunfire bowed her head in return, thanking the deputy with her eyes.

"Pinefur will not return to the Tribe," said Lightningstar. "Remember how she came to us: frightened, begging to stay."

"Meaningless," said Hawkclaw, curling his lip. "It could've been an act. You trust too much."

" Lightningstar and Mudspeckle trust her," Sunfire cut in. "That should be enough for you."

Hawkclaw's sneer became more pronounced, but he dared not say anything in front of Lightningstar.

"When the Tribe come again," said Darkcloud after a stretching silence, "it will not be due to Pinefur."

With that, Lightningstar dismissed them, but called Sunfire back. Expecting a rebuke from snarling at Hawkclaw, Sunfire braced herself for a lecture and met his gaze. "Yes?"

Lightningstar settled into his nest; Sunfire noticed his movements were slower, his joints stiffer, and she was reminded unpleasantly of his old age and one remaining life. "How is Softpaw's training going?" he asked.

She hadn't expected that. Taking a moment to register what he'd said and gather her thoughts, she answered, "Fine. She's a fast learner. Very determined and eager."

Lightningstar regarded her for what seemed like eons, his blazing yellow stare burning into her deep green one. "I have already told Darkcloud," he meowed at length, "That Softpaw and Rustypaw are to begin battle training."

"Because of the threat from the Tribe?" ventured Sunfire.

He nodded gravely. "Tomorrow, begin training Softpaw for battle. For now, the battles are limited to border fights, with no more than four cats on each side. But as is with all border fights, things will one day escalate, and eventually a final battle will occur. The apprentices must be prepared for this day."

Sunfire nodded, an ominous prickle running up her spine; it sounded like Lightningstar knew when the final battle would take place. _Maybe he does. No, he'd tell the Clan. _"What about hunting?" she asked. "We can't have warriors who can fight but are inexperienced hunters."

A proud gleam glinted in his eyes. "Very good," he said, sounding like he had when he was still her mentor and she caught a glitch in a plan. "I suggest spending from dawn until sunhigh hunting, then battle training from after sunhigh meal until sundown." He sighed. "It will be relentless work, for both mentors and apprentices; but it will pay off."

"Assessments will have to come later than usual," Sunfire commented, feeling up to the challenge of almost non-stop mentoring; she was almost eager for it, because it would take her mind off more troubling matters. "With less time to devote to hunting, the apprentices'll need more time to train for it."

He nodded, regarded her for a long moment. "Do you want to be deputy?" he asked.

Momentarily confused by the abrupt change of topic, Sunfire stared for a second before his question registered. "I...never really thought about it," she answered. "But Raintail once compared me to Mudspeckle, said I'm a natural leader," she added, feeling affection for her friend and pride for the comparison.

He nodded again. "You would make a fine deputy one day," he said. "Mudspeckle respects you. When he becomes leader, which he will one day, you stand a fine chance of becoming his deputy."

Despite the compliment, Sunfire snorted. "I'm too young. And the Clan wouldn't like a half-blood holding that position. Darkcloud deserves it."

Lightningstar tilted his head, amusement glinting in his eyes. "You are proud and careful of your dignity, Sunfire, yet you underestimate yourself." With that, he dismissed her.

;-;-;-;

Two days later, after Softpaw's training was done for the day, Sunfire slowly made her way to the sun-drown-cliffs. Inhaling the evening air, which was cold due to the season and the wind off the nearby ocean, Sunfire sighed. Reality had disappeared while she trained Softpaw–there wasn't time to focus on anything but the task at hand while she was doing that, the way the apprentice dashed about–but now that she was alone, separate from the camp and Clan, reality came rushing back with an unfriendly bite.

A dawn patrol had run into Alexander and informed him his offer had been accepted–not whole-heartedly by all, but accepted nonetheless–and he'd apparently gone off towards the mountains. So many things could go wrong in his snooping; he could get caught reporting information or could be killed, since he wasn't used to the mountains environment. It would be a problem if he got chosen to accompany an invading party; he would have to fight the cats he was helping.

Then there was Hawkclaw. He'd been quiet for too long, in Sunfire's opinion, and it was like the calm before the storm; the resting period before the next killing. He'd already done Orangestripe and Roseleaf, two strong, quick warriors, and with the unusually early cold clinging to the forest, cats would soon get leaf-bare thin and weak, making themselves easier targets. She also believed it was her own responsibility to see that justice was served, to avenge the deaths of her mother and Orangestripe. Problem was, Sunfire wasn't a killer like he was; a fighter, yes, but there was a difference between the two, and she was hesitant to cross it.

It was good she'd slipped away from the Clan tonight; the loner half had surfaced, making her feel unsettled around the rest of the Clan, and with her worries swarming around, she'd needed to--

_Shadowfur! _

His scent drifted along on the breeze, and Sunfire instinctively bristled; he was nearby and alone, and she could fight him off. Growling with pleasure at the idea of watching him flee, flaming energy coursing through every muscle and bone at the prospect of a fight, Sunfire flattened herself to the ground, pulling herself through the dying undergrowth and fallen leaves.

His scent was fresh; he was still in the area, close by but not moving towards her. Breathing quicker, eyes dilating, tail twitching with anticipation and anger, Sunfire weaved around tightly clumped bushes. Shadowfur thought he could just waltz into ThunderClan territory when the urge struck him? He may have been born and raised in ThunderClan, but he was now a self-proclaimed outsider, leading the darkness that threatened to invade the forest.

His scent led Sunfire away from the sun-drown-place, and the salt scent faded as she moved deeper into the forest. She could smell water and WindClan, and realized she was moving towards the stream that separated ThunderClan and WindClan territories.

And then she smelled something that stopped her dead.

Icestorm.

She didn't know why she hadn't registered his scent; perhaps because she was so used to having him alongside or close by her, perhaps because his scent was softer and more appealing than Shadowfur's.

The prophecy flooded her mind: _Shadow, ice, and fang will come together...No, it doesn't necessarily mean that. Maybe he's fighting Shadowfur, chasing him away. _But she knew she was making excuses. She was close enough that she would be able to hear sounds of a fight. Only the muted rush of the stream and the warble of a nightingale reached her ears. _Oh, StarClan, no..._

Dread twisting in her belly, Sunfire emerged from behind a heavily-branched fir sapling--

–and saw them.

Shadowfur stood on the WindClan side of the stream, Icestorm on the ThunderClan side. Sunfire could just see Shadowfur's mouth moving, saw his narrowed eyes glow in the gathering twilight. She caught the vague, indistinct murmur of voices, and, smooth as a liquid, Shadowfur turned andwalked away, the tall WindClan grasses swallowing him up. Icestorm remained sitting for a heartbeat, then turned as well, heading for Sunfire.

Fully stepping out from her cover, Sunfire marched up to Icestorm, feeling her lips curl into a furious snarl, raging flame rising in her, yet simultaneously feeling ice-cold and defeated. Icestorm saw her and froze, one paw above the ground, eyes wide.

_Can't believe he'd do this, can't believe he'd turn traitor–he wasn't fighting Shadowfur, wasn't chasing him away, was just talking to him like it was arranged--_

"Sunfire, what–?"

She stared at him, not able, not _wanting _to believe she'd seen him talking to Shadowfur, the arch enemy, like they were allies. Hot and cold, furious and withered, wanting to hiss and snarl and wanting to cry, Sunfire braced her paws against the ground, sinking her claws into the soil.

"I saw you talking to him," she said; it was half a snarl. "Like you're allies, like–"

"Stop, let me explain–"

"The prophecy was right! I didn't want to believe it was you, but now you've gone and shown me it is–"

"What prophecy? I–"

"I'm not going to bother explaining," Sunfire said, all fire gone from her. She hung her head. "I won't tell any cat you're meeting Shadowfur. You can sort it out on your own when the Clan finds out."

He looked utterly perplexed. "Sunfire, what–?"

She raised her head, looked him in the eye. "Go. I can't be near you now."

He stared at her, bewilderment, fear, anger, and loss all making his eyes shine. In a slow, cold, and defeated voice, he said, "If you honestly think that I would turn traitor like that, I don't know you and I don't want to be near you either. When the Sunfire I know comes back, let me know." With that, he turned away from her and walked into the forest, the twilight shadows swallowing him.

Sunfire stared after him. His words echoed in her head; she felt sick and completely defeated.Shecalled herselfa damned fool for thinking that Icestorm would even consider turning traitor. She should've let him explain what he was saying to Shadowfur; for all she knew, he could've been quietly threatening the black tom to leave.

With a jolt that made her feel worse still, Sunfire considered, literally for the first time, other interpretations of 'ice.' Maybe the ultimate darkness would come in leaf-bare, when ice formed a glistening sheen over the lake and streams.

Her belly twisting into cold knots, Sunfire squeezed her eyes shut as she felt her throat constrict with suppressed emotion. _StarClan, I've just driven away the cat I should trust the most in this world. _

;-;-;-;

_Often, what we say in the heat of the moment drives close ones away, and we realize too late what we have done. _–BM


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: **Thanks for reviews! I got back from the beach on the nineteenth; hadn't written anything, but gimmie a break, I was on vacation.

;-;-;-;

A lithe shape moved through the forest, its coat glinting with pale fire. The cat's eyes flashed dully in the shadows. A long tail trailed limply to the ground. The cat's steps were heavy, leaden. It barely noticed when a thin, gray drizzle began to fall.

Sunfire moved steadily through the trees, mixed emotions raging inside her. It was the morning after she'd found Icestorm talking to Shadowfur, and she'd taken Softpaw hunting. The tawny apprentice had bounded far ahead, leaving Sunfire to dimly follow her scent. In retrospect, she probably should've asked another cat to take over Softpaw's training for a day; she was too distracted by last night's happenings.

She felt she'd been fully justified in essentially telling Icestorm he'd turned traitor. StarClan proclaimed ice would take part in darkening the forest, and no other Clan cat was named "ice". Besides, she'd caught him at it. Talking to Shadowfur, not chasing him away. She'd also had dreams. One she recalled vividly was one where he abandoned her on the mountains, with Nero and Shadowfur backing her off a cliff.

Yet at the same time, she knew that Icestorm would never think of betraying the Clan. Thought that she'd jumped to a conclusion like she always did.

Damn, she didn't know what to think. She knew she'd probably wrecked any relationship she'd had with him, and regretted that immensely.

"Sunfire?"

She looked up from the forest floor, which was growing wet because of the drizzle. Softpaw stood in front of her, a fat mouse by her paws, a contemplative look on her face. After a moment of silently regarding Sunfire, she said crisply, "Something's wrong."

Standing up straighter and squaring her shoulders, Sunfire shook her head. "I'm fine."

Softpaw scowled, which for some reason made Sunfire suppress a chuckle. "The credit you give my observational skills is insulting," said Softpaw. Frowning, she added, "Older cats always think apprentices won't understand. I know something's wrong, and it involves Icestorm."

Sunfire almost choked on air. Feeling a strange twinge in her belly, she gave in. "Yes. But really, Softpaw, it's too complex for you. Or any cat in the Clan."

Softpaw twitched her nose and looked up into Sunfire's face, squinting her eyes against the drizzle. "Are we friends, Sunfire?" she asked, changing the subject.

Perhaps it was the look of reverence in those amber eyes, the hope in the little voice. Something softened in Sunfire, and for the moment she forgot her problems. "Yes," she answered. "I think we're friends."

It was the small trill of happiness that Softpaw made that made Sunfire truly happy for the first time in days.

;-;-;-;

That evening, Sunfire lay under the shelter of a buckthorn bush, Raintail and Sorrelflower beside her, the drizzle having strengthened to almost a downpour. Across camp, Waterdrip's three kits were playing happily, splashing their paws in the collecting puddles, squeaking when they slipped in mud.

"Don't know why Waterdrip doesn't take them into the nursery," commented Raintail. "They'll get hurt sliding in the mud like that."

"They haven't seen rain for some time," said Sorrelflower. "And they're leaving the nursery soon, so I expect she's just letting them be kits."

That surprised Sunfire. "They're being apprenticed?"

Raintail nodded. "Yes. In two days."

"Are you getting one?"

"No." Raintail sounded like she didn't care. "I'll have to wait awhile before getting an apprentice. Besides, I'm happy leading hunting patrols."

Sunfire thought it was unfair Raintail wasn't getting an apprentice; they'd been made warriors together, after all. "Bet Badgerclaw gets one."

"He deserves it," said Sorrelflower. "Fine young tom, him." Sunfire snorted, and Sorrelflower added, "Oh, shush. He's devoted to Nightwhisker and Granitekit. He's loyal. Just because you don't like him doesn't mean other cats feel the same way."

Sunfire supposed she saw reason in that.

;-;-;-;

Two evenings later, Sunfire sat with Raintail flanking her in the middle of the gathering Clan; Lightningstar had just called the meeting. Glancing around, purposely avoiding looking at Icestorm, Sunfire looked for cats who might be mentors in a few minutes; contrary to the usual, no word had spread about who had been chosen. She saw Jaywing sitting straight, looking proud, but doubted he was going to mentor one of his kits; such a thing was rarely done. With a painful lurch, she spotted Icestorm seated beside him. She quickly looked away, feeling the already-familiar rush of guilt and justification.

"We are gathered here tonight for a naming ceremony," called Lightningstar from the Hightree. "Come forward." He beckoned to Waterdrip's kits: Rootkit and Fogkit trotted forward, but Dewkit lagged behind. Sunfire thought she looked ill; normally bright-eyed and energetic, Dewkit's blue eyes were cloudy and dull, and she sneezed twice on her way to the Hightree.

"From this moment on," Lightningstar said, "These apprentices are to be known as Rootpaw, Fogpaw, and Dewpaw. Badgerclaw, you will be mentor to Fogpaw." Badgerclaw strode forward, pride showing plainly on his white-streaked black face. Sunfire saw Nightwhisker looking out from the nursery, gazing admiringly at her mate.

"Quickriver," said Lightningstar, moving along, "You will mentor Dewpaw." The pale brown she-cat stepped forward, and Sunfire could not blame her for flinching slightly when Dewpaw nearly sneezed in her face. Now only Rootpaw remained, a small figure before the crowd.

Treeshadow then stepped up to the Hightree, his tabby pelt perfectly groomed. He began speaking: "Cats of ThunderClan, I have been your medicine cat for uncountable moons. Many leaf-bares have passed since I accepted this duty, and now is the time for me to take on an apprentice." He beckoned to Rootpaw, who stepped up shyly. "Rootpaw has accepted the post of medicine cat apprentice."

Mews of surprise and congratulations sounded from many cats' throats; Sunfire added her voice. Rootpaw looked both pleased and embarrassed at all the attention. Lightningstar signaled the end of the meeting and headed for Treeshadow.

"Did you see Dewpaw?" Sunfire asked Raintail.

She nodded, her blue gaze dark. "She really didn't look well. Wonder if it came from playing in the rain."

"Getting wet does not make you sick," snorted Sunfire.

"No, but if she already had a cough and was in the cold rain, it could've made her worse," countered Raintail.

Sunfire grunted, giving in, and gazed across camp. Icestorm remained beside Jaywing, talking to his friend; despite the distance, Sunfire could plainly see his normally sparkling eyes were dull.

_StarClan, I just want to know if I'm right in my suspicions or if I'm mistaken._ Sunfire knew that despite the indication that Icestorm had turned traitor, she still loved him.

_I'm just so confused._


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: **Thanks to reviewers!

;-;-;-;

Sunfire padded swiftly across the massive tree root, dutifully ignoring the fact that Icestorm was behind her. She had her tail tucked close against her hind legs; no telling what her–and his–reactions would be should her tail brush his face. With relief, she reached the Gathering island, and hurriedly stepped aside. She saw Icestorm watching her; it took all her willpower to turn away.

ThunderClan was last to arrive. The Clans were expecting Alexander to come tonight, though no one had an inkling on how late he would arrive. Craning her neck, Sunfire scanned the assembling cats, looking for no one in particular. The buzz of conversation was present, but one cat's voice caught her attention rapidly.

"How's life?"

Sunfire whipped around, nearly giving herself whiplash. "Pinefur!" she exclaimed, confused and happy to see her friend. "What–?"

She shrugged. "I knew it was full moon, and I miss Gatherings. I haven't been to one for moons, remember."

"But you've turned loner," protested Sunfire. "You're probably unwelcome."

Pinefur shrugged again. "I've lost RiverClan and Tribe scent," she meowed. "All I have to do is sit in the shadows quietly. Scents are so jumbled at Gatherings no cat'll notice me. You look well enough," she added. "Prey coming easy?"

"Getting harder, with the early frost." As she said it, Sunfire noticed Pinefur looked plumper than any Clan cat, and guessed that she found it easy to feed only herself. "Where're you living?" she asked quietly, not wanting any Clan cats to hear, though they were quite apart from the crowd.

"In a little swath of territory beyond RiverClan's old land. Nice place, really: streams, small field, some trees..." she trailed off. "How's ThunderClan? Any trouble?"

Sunfire shook her head. "We've got five apprentices training. I'm mentoring one of them," she added proudly. "Softpaw. She's not here--too early in her apprenticeship." It felt good to be able to speak to Pinefur as though nothing was wrong in the forest, as though the Tribe had never attacked. _And like Icestorm never– _Sunfire left her thought unfinished.

Over all the talk, rapidly pounding paws could be distinctly heard. As each cat heard it, they shushed their friends and turned towards the noise. Curious, Sunfire sat up on her haunches like a groundhog, trying to spot the approaching animal. Though many were fluffing up with alarm, Sunfire sensed somehow there was nothing to be feared from the newcomer. Instinctively, the warriors closest to the edge of the island formed a defensive line, shielding the elders and apprentices.

A dark gray shape hurtled out of the bushes and flung itself into the deep pool surrounding the Gathering island; frantically splashing, the cat clearly could not swim, but somehow managed to reach the island quickly. Gasping for air, it dragged itself out of the water. Though it was drenched, Sunfire recognized the cat.

"Alexander!" she exclaimed, and many cats calmed down; the loner was a friend. "Wh–"

He spoke over her. His breath came in heaves from his evident mad dash, and he was clearly frightened. "Lightning...star," he panted, as Lightningstar himself shouldered his way up. "Tribe–your land–many. Nearly all–RiverClan and new ones too." He sucked in air. "They're–smart. Knew–Gathering."

His fear-scent was carried to all the cats on a light breeze, and many began mewling loudly, his fear inducing theirs. One elder wailed, and others mimicked her. Lightningstar, standing on his hind legs, yowled shrilly, silencing the cats. Turning to Alexander, he meowed, "Catch your breath. What's happening?"

It took him a moment, but, giving himn a grateful glance, Alexander got his breath back. "Nearly all the Tribe have come to ThunderClan land. RiverClan is among them, as well as many rogues they have picked up. They knew that the Clans gather at the full moon. They are waiting for it to end–"

"And ambush us as we return!" growled Badgerclaw.

Alexander nodded. "They are not far from here. You must leave now to fight, before you get tired from the lateness."

_As if we could get drowsy _now, thought Sunfire. She was seething; the Tribe knew less than half of each Clan attended a Gathering, so they would have strength in numbers, and she was furious that they had been so clever. Apprentices were beginning to panic; Lightningstar reared up again.

"Silence!" he bellowed. When his wish was granted, he said calmly, "We leave now. But we must appear to expect nothing. If we act more cautious than would appear natural, they will suspect this warning." The instructions were simple, yet impossible. He looked at the other leaders. "You must not send a single cat to help us. ThunderClan have the strength to face this alone, but more importantly, help from other Clans will indicate this warning." A murmur of assent went through the gathered cats.

"I couldn't get away before tonight," Alexander said. "I must go now. I was sent here to 'observe the meeting's progress.'" With that, he turned and splashed back through the water, then fled through the forest.

ThunderClan began grouping towards Lightningstar; other Clans wished ThunderClan luck, knowing they could not possibly assist. Anticipation and hatred boiled in Sunfire's belly; she should've expected an attack, since ThunderClan had had a break from the Tribe. She squeezed past Darkcloud and Jaywing, and found herself more or less stuck between a boulder and Icestorm. Feeling sudden pressure against his flank, Icestorm turned and met her gaze. Heat rushed all over Sunfire's body; she blinked at him before pushing past, unwilling to identify her feelings.

She heard one last good-luck wish, then Lightningstar flicked his tail, signaling their leave. Even as she padded across the great tree root, Sunfire's heart was pounding; she refused to attribute it towards her close contact with Icestorm, but it was not due to fear of the imminent fight.

She moved up beside Lightningstar. "We have no apprentice here to carry a message for help if we need it," she whispered.

"If we need more cats, I'll send–" A sharp yowl cut him off.

A flood of Tribe cats rushed out of the shadows. No cat had scented them; the air was completely still. Startled by the sudden wave of tooth and claw surrounding her, a jolt of pure adrenalin bolted through Sunfire. Driven by that and fury at the cats who had trespassed, Sunfire lashed out at the dark shape that flew towards her.

The night air, which had previously been completely silent, was now filled with snarls. As cats rushed past her, Sunfire saw a great black shape standing at the edge of the fight like a sentinel. With a lick of flame rising inside her, Sunfire recognized Nero, and began fighting the wave of cats to reach the fox. A gray shape rose in front of her; Sunfire recognized her own father, and knew he had to fight to keep the impression he fought for Nero. Sunfire gave him a blow to the head that would normally just unbalance him, but Alexander pretended to be knocked unconscious. Satisfied that this problem was solved, Sunfire moved on.

A tawny Tribe she-cat struck Sunfire's nose with claws like blackthorns. Spitting, Sunfire crouched low, faking a submissive position: the she-cat reared over Sunfire, falling for the trick. When the Tribe fighter exposed her belly, Sunfire launched herself, winding her enemy and probably causing injury as well. Looking around, Sunfire spat when she couldn't locate Nero.

A silver glimmer caught her eye; Icestorm was striking repeatedly at Shadowfur, whom Sunfire had failed to notice until then. Moonlight shining in his thick pelt, Icestorm rammed Shadowfur in the ribs with his head, then began clawing the Tribe leader. _StarClan, let his heart be in it, let him really be fighting for the forest--_

An immense weight dropped on Sunfire, squeezing her lungs. Trying to flip over, Sunfire yowled as a great paw connected with her skull, sending a sharp pain shooting through her head and bringing winking gray stars into her vision. Adrenalin giving her strength, Sunfire heaved, bucking her spine, and threw her assailant aside. Gasping, Sunfire scrambled to her feet.

Nero was getting her own footing back a tail-length away. Sunfire felt a brief flash of satisfaction when she saw one of Nero's eyes was clouded and sightless, remembering the last time she'd fought the fox and slashed her eye.

"You're losing," snarled Nero. "Both this battle and the ultimate one. The Clans cannot win this." She jumped at Sunfire, who ducked; the vixen soared past her, only to turn on a dime and smack Sunfire from behind with a heavy paw. Humiliated that she'd been outdone, Sunfire faced Nero, who had triumph gleaming in her good eye.

"I see you've received battle training since last we met," said Sunfire. "You certainly weren't this skilled then." _But you've a long way to go, _she thought grimly, jumping at Nero, clinging to the midnight-black neck. Nero twisted, found Sunfire's foreleg, and bit down. Fire and lightning shot through Sunfire's leg up to her shoulder, but she refused to let go of the vixen; she would not give in.

Gritting her teeth, Sunfire drew back her head to give Nero a bite to consider when high yowls sounded, not from the battle. Sunfire glimpsed dark figures pelting towards the fight; as she looked, she unconsciously relaxed her grip, and Nero shook her off, sending her thudding to the ground.

The reset of ThunderClan had arrived; surprised by the sudden backup, the Tribe cats tore themselves away and flocked towards Nero. Silence fell. Wincing, humiliated that Nero had more or less achieved the upper paw over her, Sunfire picked herself up, stumbled, and felt a nudge at her shoulder. Looking down, she saw Softpaw helping her up, and despite her pain, she felt a rush of warmth for her apprentice.

The cats who'd been at the Gathering were noticeably worse for the wear, though the Tribe had their share of wounds. Supported by Softpaw, Sunfire felt weak with relief as she saw all ThunderClan cats were on their feet, though Icestorm had a forepaw tucked against his chest. Her skull throbbing, ribs aching, Sunfire watched the Tribe cats, Shadowfur included, form a tight circle around Nero, protecting their leader from the mass of ThunderClan cats.

"Leave, Nero. I'm growing weary of saying it," said Lightningstar, who had clumps of bloody fur hanging from his flanks.

Nero gave one of her laugh-barks and shouldered aside the ring of her cats. "Do you know what my name means in fox-tongue, Lightningstar?" She didn't wait for an answer. "It means 'fang.' And I assure you..." she bared her teeth. "I can do excellent damage with them if I do not get what I want."

"You can't intimidate us," said Lightningstar evenly.

Nero stared at him with her working eye. "Do you not see what has happened?" Sunfire felt an odd sense of anticipation. "Three things have come together: Shadowfur, the mountains--a world of ice--and myself. Shadow, ice, and fang, Lightningstar."

Sunfire felt lightheaded. The world around her swirled into a grayish haze; the earth tilted beneath her paws. Nero had revealed the elements of the prophecy, and Sunfire _knew _she was right. The world of ice was the Tribe and their forever-winter environment.

Icestorm had nothing to do with the prophecy.

Having apparently said her piece, Nero turned and slunk away into the night.

;-;-;-;

_Three things cannot long be hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth. –Buddha_


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: **Sorry for the delay; school's started & I've got a ton of stuff to do. This chap doesn't advance the plot much, but it's necessary for the story. Speaking of, we're nearing the end of this fic...rather bittersweet.

;-;-;-;

Sunfire couldn't tell if she was dreaming; the grass had a thick coating of frost, many trees were more than half bare, and the ground smelled cold and dry. She might have been dreaming; she might have been awake. A soft crunching noise sounded behind her, followed by a gentle voice.

"Tell him."

She twisted an ear to hear better, but did not turn, though she would have been comforted to see the speaker. She did not respond.

"_Tell him," _repeated her visitor insistently. Soft pawsteps told Sunfire he was coming closer. "He needs to know."

Feeling a pang of guilt, Sunfire turned slightly to see Firestar sitting beside her, looking not at her, but at the silver stars reflected on the still lake. When she did not answer, Firestar sighed softly. "It will be alright." His voice was calming, promising.

Then Sunfire woke.

The den was completely full; it was very early. Stars coated the sky, showing no hint of dawn. Three days after Nero's attack–and her revelation of the prophecy's components–and Sunfire had yet to tell Icestorm why she'd accused him of betrayal. Inside, she feared he would reject her–though he had every right to do so. Hadn't she essentially expressed that she completely mistrusted him? With another guilty jolt, she remembered she had for a time.

She repeated Firestar's parting words softly. Did she have enough faith in her ancestor to trust him with something so important? _Yes. _With a gulp, Sunfire stepped out of the den. The air was much colder outside without all the circulating body heat, and a shiver ran down Sunfire's spine. Sniffing the air, she caught Icestorm's scent–he had, for some reason, left the den. Without any idea on exactly what she planned to say to him, Sunfire steeled herself and began following his scent.

What _was _she going to say? Would he even be willing to hear her out? Sunfire padded swiftly through the forest, staring unseeing at the forest ahead of her, letting Icestorm's scent guide her. She paused as she caught a lacing of salt on the air, and finally took in her surroundings: she was nearing the sun-drown-place. Swallowing hard, she pressed on, trying to appear calm despite the feeling that a dozen snakes were writhing inside her and nervousness crawled over her pelt. She shivered as she stepped onto the cliff, which was freezing due to the cold night.

Icestorm stood out against the dark rock, the frosty starlight making his silver-white coat shimmer. Taking a breath, hoping she wasn't emitting fear-scent, Sunfire padded slowly up to stand beside Icestorm. He seemed to have been expecting her.

"Hey," said Sunfire softly. Icestorm murmured a greeting, his gaze fixed on the rushing ocean. Sunfire, her voice surprisingly steady, meowed, "It's time I explained myself."

He gave an almost imperceptible nod, keeping his gaze fixed on the ocean. "There's a prophecy..." began Sunfire. She, like him, was staring out over the water, and didn't see his reaction. The story was hard to tell, and nearly impossible when Sunfire told him how she suspected him to be the ice mentioned in the prophecy; her normally confident, strong voice turned shaky and anxious, but certain.

The faintest hint of dawn hung in the sky when she finished, her throat sore from talking. Nervously, she turned to look at Icestorm, who remained in the exact position he'd been in when she first came up. He made no move to speak. This frustrated Sunfire; she'd just explained why she'd shunned him for the past half-moon, explained why she'd accused him of betrayal; couldn't Icestorm have the grace to _say _something?

"Look, I'm more sorry than you could ever imagine," she said quietly, all fire gone from her. "You've every right to reject me. I'll understand if...if you don't love me anymore." It hurt to speak, and not because of her raw throat, though as she said it, Sunfire could've bit herself: couldn't she have thought up something a _little _more original to say? Shrugging it off, Sunfire glanced at Icestorm, who remained unmoving, and sighed. Slowly, she rose and began to leave, pushing down the choking sensation as her throat constricted.

"Don't leave."

He spoke so quietly Sunfire thought she'd imagined it. Turning, she saw Icestorm looking over his shoulder at her, blue eyes sad and happy at once. "Come back," he whispered. Quivering, Sunfire did, feeling hope coil in her chest; was she being forgiven?

"I wondered why you'd been acting strangely around me," Icestorm said once she was beside him again. "Even before you saw me talking to Shadowfur, you'd avoid me suddenly, then just as suddenly get close to me. First I figured it was a she-cat thing," he added, a half-smirk on his face. "Then, after you said I'd turned traitor, well...I knew it was much deeper," he said somberly.

Sunfire stared at him, heart pounding; she was hopeful he would forgive her, yet also didn't quite dare to hope. Still quivering, she listened as he continued: "And when I was with Shadowfur? I'd been hunting around the WindClan border and saw him heading across the moor for our land. I hid and surprised him at the stream. I stayed calm, and gave him a quiet warning. That's when you came up; I suppose it must have looked like we were having a casual conversation. I just thought a calm, controlled warning would be more effective than if I'd hissed and spat unintelligibly at him."

Inadvertently, Sunfire gave a tiny whimper, feeling like a kit. She'd been so _stupid_. She knew Icestorm well enough to know that he would give a quiet warning rather than a loud, openly furious one. _StarClan, why didn't I let him explain?_

Hearing her whimper, Icestorm rubbed his cheek against hers, sending heat and comfort through her. "I can see how you would have thought that I was part of the prophecy," he added. "I was the most obvious answer, and, well, that's what you do, Sunfire: you jump to conclusions. It was just your personality at work."

Her heart beating so erratically Sunfire feared she would faint, she stared at Icestorm, relief sweeping through her so powerfully she felt lightheaded. She was unspeakably lucky to have found a cat so patient and understanding, so willing to have heard her out. That was far more than she'd done for him.

"So," she said in a vain attempt to sound offhand, "we're good?"

Icestorm purred. "We're good." He finally met her gaze and smiled at her.

Sunfire glowed, feeling like she stood in a patch of greenleaf sunlight rather than on an icy, moonlight-bathed cliff. Suddenly feeling the need to laugh and cry at once, she leaned over and nuzzled Icestorm's cheek, a purr bubbling up her throat and mingling with his. _Firestar was right. It turned out fine._

Her purr deepening, she pressed against him, needing contact after a half-moon of determined avoidance. Icestorm rumbled his own throaty purr, slid his head underneath her chin, then rubbed his cheek along hers. Trembling, losing herself in his deliberate caresses, Sunfire decided to forget that the Tribe could come up at any moment, wanting to completely absorb the moment.

"Love you," she whispered.

;-;-;-;

_When something is that intense_

_You can never tell what will happen next. _Single Gun Theory, _From a Million Miles_


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N: **I am SO sorry for the delay. To sum it up, I'm taking Honors English, and the writing I have to do for that continuously pushes my fics back. Plus, I need reviews from people so I know this is still being read; I know it's been a long journey, but stick with me, please, we're not done yet...

;-;-;-;

"Sunfire?"

Opening one eye to an emerald slit, Sunfire saw bright amber eyes peering down at her; Softpaw stood over her, her head tilted inquisitively. Forcing herself to move, Sunfire rolled onto her belly. "Hmm?"

Softpaw stepped back, dipping her head respectfully. "Mudspeckle told me to wake you. Rustypaw and I are being assessed today, remember?"

Sunfire sat bolt upright, cursing herself for having forgotten. She'd been so distracted yesterday, being with Icestorm as she was, and Lightningstar's evening-meal reminder that Softpaw and her brother were having their assessment had slipped out of her mind the second she heard it. "No, Softpaw, I didn't remember," she sighed. "Sorry–and thanks for getting me up." She stepped out of the den, shivered at the cold air and ground, and headed for the fresh-kill pile.

Softpaw followed, her fur fluffed out. "Mudspeckle's told us we can go as soon as you're ready."

Sunfire nodded, unenthusiastically turning away from the fresh-kill pile; she'd have to wait until sundown to eat. Softpaw and Rustypaw needed all the assessment time they could get, especially with the early, harsh frost. "Give me one minute to wake up more," she told Softpaw, stifling a yawn.

Watching Softpaw bounce over to the slope to join Rustypaw, Sunfire raised a hind leg and scratched an ear, trying to blink sleep from her eyes. Taking a lung-full of the cold, dry air, Sunfire shook herself, starting towards the slope, hoping Mudspeckle had chosen the apprentices' destinations assignments; she was too tired to decide. Arching her back and extending her forelegs, she stretched her leg muscles as far as she could. Feeling more energetic, she padded over to the apprentices.

Mudspeckle sat with them; he greeted her with a nod and said: "I've selected their routes; we'll both be watching them." Turning to the apprentices, he meowed, "Softpaw, you're going to the lake–take the path that runs along the long line of fir trees." Softpaw nodded, and Sunfire was proud to see the confident gleam in the young she-cat's eyes. "Rustypaw, go southeast, towards ShadowClan territory. Hunt along the stream, but remember the small clearing belongs to ShadowClan." The dark orange tabby flicked his tail, looking as calmly surefooted as his father Orangestripe had in life. "You have until sundown, when you will meet us at the slope's top," he finished. "Be off."

Softpaw eagerly scampered ahead, but quickly adjusted her pace to something like a rapid stalk. Rustypaw sauntered away, scenting the cold air. Mudspeckle spoke.

"Darkcloud's ill," he said. "Been with Treeshadow and Rootpaw all night with an appalling bellyache, so he asked me to take his place trailing Rustypaw."

Sunfire nodded, happy; this way, she could shadow Softpaw and see her perform firsthand, and would not have to hear a secondhand report. Inhaling deeply, knowing Softpaw would not fail to impress by sundown, Sunfire stood, and started slowly following Softpaw's scent trail.

_Good day for the assessment,_ she thought. _Still air, no fog, clear sky...and with any luck, no Tribe. _

_But then, anything can change in a heartbeat,_ she added, both dry and grave.

A patch of freshly disturbed earth caught her eye; stepping up to it, she scraped aside the hard, nearly frozen earth to find a dead mouse stuffed in a shallow hole. With satisfaction, she noted Softpaw's scent clinging to the rapidly cooling body. Carefully she re-covered the fresh-kill, impressed with the prompt catch.

She knew the assessment would test skills Softpaw and Rustypaw had not had proper practice with, such as detecting small animals moving underneath the carpet of fallen leaves. It was crucial this ability was perfected, or at least polished, before the forest was plunged into deep leaf-bare, when prey numbers would be cut in half. Sunfire knew that Badgerclaw and Quickriver were focusing solely on difficult hunting with their apprentices, Fogpaw and Dewpaw, by sending the siblings to stretches of territory that had scant prey even in greenleaf.

_It's a hard time we all have coming, that's certain_.

A stinging wind swept through the trees, making the stark black branches rattle ominously, accentuating Sunfire's thoughts.

;-;-;-;

"Well done," said Sunfire hours later, looking over the two mounds of fresh-kill appraisingly. "You two just passed your assessment, no doubt." Softpaw glowed, throwing her chest out proudly. Rustypaw merely gave a slight, modest smile.

Mudspeckle was inclined to agree. "Come on," he said to the apprentices. "Let's gather this up and take it down. The Clan hasn't eaten this well in days." Turning to Sunfire, he added softly, "Lightningstar will want a report. He's already talking about making them warriors." The latter was whispered so quietly that Sunfire, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the deputy, strained to hear it. She stared at Mudspeckle, astonished; apprentices were never made warriors so early! Pondering this, she scooped up some of Softpaw's catch and carried to the pile.

"Hey," Raintail greeted her, trotting over to Sunfire, her long gray tail held aloft. "Seems the apprentices did just fine," she mewed cheerfully, eying the fresh-kill that filled the jaws of all four cats.

"Anything interesting happen while we were out?" asked Sunfire, depositing the fresh-kill.

"Granitekit crawled away from Nightwhisker while she was napping. He got halfway across camp!"

Sunfire glanced over at the nursery, where Nightwhisker was undoubtedly curled up with Granitekit. "That's impressive," she said. "He's barely a moon old, right?" Despite his young age, Granitekit was half again the size of many kits his age, and strong muscle was already developing beneath his short, gray-brindled pelt.

Raintail nodded. "Badgerclaw wanted to let him keep going until he tired out, just to see how far he could get. I didn't like it. Granitekit could've gotten hurt, or sick–"

"Have some optimism," interrupted Sunfire. "It's good to see we have strong future warriors." Touching Raintail's nose affectionately, she turned and walked towards Lightningstar's den. As she poked her head through the draping willow branches, Lightningstar looked up.

"Ah, Sunfire. Come in." She did so, trying not to appear worried at how slowly he eased himself up; the creaking of his old joints was audible. With a slight shudder, she recalled, again, his age and one remaining life. He was visibly slowing down as leaf-fall wore onto leaf-bare, taking far less patrols, spending more time curled in his bedding. Sunfire remembered when she had been his apprentice, his age had been evident, yet back then he had borne his many seasons with grace. Watching him become hindered by his age was painful for her, and she knew that eventually he would die forever.

_Stop that, _she snapped at herself. _You've been melancholy for too long._ "Softpaw did well," she finally said, reminding herself why she was here. He nodded, indicating he wanted minute details. Sunfire gave them in a crisp, definite voice, pushing back her concerns about her leader. "She's quite the young huntress," she concluded some time later, having gone through Softpaw's every triumph and failure–though there were hardly any of the latter.

Lightningstar nodded and began to speak, but whatever he'd been going to say was interrupted by a spasm of wet, heaving coughs. Sunfire forced herself not to jump back in repulsion and fear as he sucked in a deep, rattling breath, his eyes watery.

"Could you get Treeshadow or Rootpaw?" he wheezed, his flanks heaving.

Sunfire nodded, forcing herself not to bolt out of his den. Instinct made her fear any disease she might contract, and Lightningstar was clearly ill, or at least catching something. She found Rootpaw first.

"Lightningstar's ill," she reported hurredly to the small brown she-cat, who looked mildly bewildered at Sunfire's abrupt appearance. "He's coughing badly, and having trouble breathing."

Concern darkened Rootpaw's deep amber gaze. "Wet coughs, or dry?"

"Wet."

Rootpaw lifted a lip; whether out of repulsion or worry, Sunfire couldn't tell. Without another word, the medicine cat apprentice bounded over to the willow-den. Sunfire stared after her; though she knew that Rootpaw was skilled in what she was learning, she would have felt much better if Treeshadow had gone in.

"Everything alright?" murmured a quiet voice from behind her.

She tensed slightly, startled. "No," she said bluntly, turning to see Icestorm standing at her shoulder. "Lightningstar's ill."

"I heard," he meowed, pressing his flank against hers. "How do you know it wasn't just...well...coughing? It is possible to cough and not be sick." His breath ruffled her ear fur, and Sunfire suppressed a shiver as he nuzzled her.

"I just know," she answered lamely. "This is the last thing we need," she muttered.

"Stop worrying," he soothed, nudging her towards the fresh-kill pile. "You've brooded for too long. You need to eat, especially now."

Sunfire didn't appreciate being treated like a paranoid kit, but she liked being close to Icestorm again too much to speak her mind right now. She allowed him to lead her over to where Raintail was sharing a rabbit with Morningcloud.

"Any news?" asked Sunfire, settling down gracefully between Raintail and Icestorm.

"I was patrolling on the WindClan border," mewed Morningcloud immediately. "There was a warrior I know well from Gatherings; Breezeflower, she is called. She says that the Tribe has stolen two kits from the nursery. They were still nursing, they were so young." Her normally friendly, warm face was dark and hard.

The other three jerked their heads up; Raintail actually gagged on a piece of rabbit. "That's..._horrible!_" she gasped.

Icestorm was frowning deeply, the blackbird he'd been nibbling forgotten. "How did the Tribe slip in and take two kits?"

Morningcloud shrugged helplessly. "I cannot say," she sighed.

"Have you told Lightningstar?" demanded Sunfire sharply. Rather too sharply: gentle Morningcloud winced at her tone. "Sorry," she meowed, slightly awkwardly.

"I told him when I returned. I knew he needed to be warned of such a thing."

Sunfire stared at the blackbird. Things were certainly escalating if the Tribe were stealing kits; Nero and Shadowfur had apparently recruited all the rogues and loners they could, and now needed other methods to gain more cats. _And what better way to ensure loyalty than to raise suckling kits to hate the Clans?_

The four had lapsed into a grave silence, picking at the fresh-kill, when a shrill, thin wail rose from the nursery. Sunfire threw her ears back, eyes dilating, fur prickling with dread. All the Clan turned to stare at the tangle of brambles and low shrubs; Lightningstar poked his bleary-eyed head out from his den.

Nightwhisker burst out of the nursery, her long black fur catching on the thorns. She put her nose to the ground, sniffing frantically, her blue eyes wild. Cold dread washed through Sunfire as a possibility came to mind...

"Nightwhisker!" Badgerclaw shouldered his way through the wall of cats that had begun to form around his mate. "What is it?" His deep, rough voice echoed the queries of the others. Nightwhisker looked up, her eyes rolling and stretched beyond wide. Sunfire had flown to her feet, her heart pounding; though she'd never kitted, some deep, she-cat knowledge told her what was wrong. Fury roiled through her as she scanned the growing crowd and realized Hawkclaw was absent. _StarClan, let him be killed if he did it..._

Nightwhisker seemed to be searching for words. Her flanks heaved with fear, and her generally soft voice rose to a shrieking caterwaul as she howled:

"Granitekit is gone!"

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	27. Chapter 27

**A/N: **Thank for reviews! To **Flametail: **in response to your comment about Morningcloud saying Nero's name meant "locked," I originally intended for Nero's name to translate into "Ice," (which would be locked-up water) not "Fang," and I was going to have Shadowfur change his name to Shadowfang, because he would think that sounds more sinister than his real name. But then the prophecy would have been off slightly, and too obvious too soon, so I changed stuff. I need to go back and edit this thing for stuff like that... And sorry for the delay, but I had SO much bloody trouble uploading this thing.

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Nightwhisker, Sunfire supposed, was still pacing in frantic circles back at camp, her tail fluffed out hugely, terrified mewls slipping out her mouth. She also supposed Waterdrip and Sorrelflower would be trying to calm her still. Treeshadow would be attempting to feed her chamomile.

After more than an entire day spent without any food, padding swiftly through a forest carpeted with fallen leaves that were slick and glacial-cold was hardly Sunfire's first choice of activity. But right now it was Granitekit's well-being that mattered, not hers.

Badgerclaw led the patrol Sunfire was in, his nose almost flat to the ground in a desperate attempt to catch his son's scent. He was showing more emotion now than Sunfire had ever seen from him, and she had to admire his determination to find his kit.

But admiration could quickly wear thin and turn to exasperation, especially when one was weary, cold, and fiercely hungry. Lightningstar had ordered out three patrols, and he had made a massive mistake by allowing Badgerclaw to lead one of them. Better to have forced the tom to remain in camp, where he would at least have his mate.

"Badgerclaw," she eventually said in a voice that was empathetic yet firm, "it's almost dawn. We've turned every twig upside down. Granitekit is simply not here. I'm sorry, but–"

He whipped around to face her, his black lips curled in a menacing snarl. "You're not _sorry_, you want to get back to your_ nest_. You don't care that my son is missing, possibly dead!" He stalked forward until he was nose-to-nose with her.

Sunfire hissed, enraged and insulted. "I care when _any _kit goes missing!" she spat. Quickriver tried to step between them, but Sunfire shouldered her away. "I want to go back to my nest, Badgerclaw, I do. But you can hardly say that if _I _had a kit that went missing and _you _were forced to follow _me_ all night through a frozen forest that you wouldn't long for your nest as well!"

Badgerclaw looked as if a rock had struck him in the head. He gaped at her, green eyes a mixture of fury and desperation. He gathered himself and said, "Fine. All of you–" here he cast his gaze over Sunfire, Quickriver, Dewpaw, and Fogpaw, "can return to camp. _I _won't come back unless I have Granitekit with me, whether he's dead or alive!"

Sunfire could think of nothing to say, and she was thankful when little Dewpaw mewed gently, "Badgerclaw, you'll run yourself to exhaustion. Nightwhisker needs to be with you. You can't be serious about running off and dying on her!"

Badgerclaw looked helpless, and did not move until his apprentice, Fogpaw, nudged him. "Come on," the thickset, dark gray tom said softly. "Let's get you back to Nightwhisker. It's been a long night. Who knows? Maybe another patrol found Granitekit by now." Sunfire, despite her tiredness, was touched by the young tom's mature words, and deeply impressed with the strength that was required of him to keep calm when his mentor was more or less going mad before his eyes.

Sunfire led the way back to camp, her lungs aching from the cold air. Fogpaw urged Badgerclaw along with encouraging words that Granitekit had surely been found. Grateful though she was to Fogpaw for finding a way to get Badgerclaw back to camp, Sunfire dreaded what would happen if the gruff warrior's son was still missing.

_StarClan, though Granitekit is not mine, keep him safe from harm, _she prayed silently. _Because all fury will break loose if he's_ _injured, _she added as a mildly amused afterthought, _and I really don't need to witness that._

;-;-;-;

Dawn was tinting the sky pink and gray when they returned to camp. A dull ache had manifested all through Sunfire's legs, and a paw pad had split from the dry cold.. Jumping down the slope and landing with a thud, she began to look for Granitekit, but Raintail came up with such a sad look in her blue eyes that told Sunfire the kit was still missing.

"He's really gone," mewed Raintail sadly. Her white pelt was stained with mud and studded with bits of twig and leaves. "I led my patrol north towards the mountains. His scent was on the ground for a very small part of the way, but then we smelled Tribe. There were at least five cats, and then their scents doubled back out of our territory. They must have taken Granitekit."

Sunfire was barely awake enough to do anything but growl. "Well, a moon-old kit crawling around without his mother...when an opportunity presents itself, they certainly take it." She paused to yawn, then added, "Where's Nightwhisker?"

"Treeshadow drugged her with poppy seeds when I brought my patrol back," said Raintail in a hushed voice. "She nothing could settle her down. Granitekit was missing, and she didn't know where Badgerclaw had gone...she was so frightened." Even now, Rootpaw was shaking more seeds out of a poppy head to give to Badgerclaw.

"I thought Badgerclaw was going to run us to death," muttered Sunfire. "He went through every kit-step of the territory. I wouldn't've been surprised if he'd started digging holes in case Granitekit had buried himself."

"I bet. Lightningstar shouldn't have–"

"I don't _want _poppy seeds!" Badgerclaw snarled, suddenly realizing what Rootpaw intended to feed him. "I want my son back!" He stared furiously around camp, clearly uncaring that every cat in camp was staring at him, some with fear in their eyes. "Where's Lightningstar?" he demanded, asking no one in particular.

"I'm here."

Sunfire, and many other cats, turned to see Lightningstar emerging from his den. Sunfire flinched inwardly when she saw how bleary and dull Lightningstar's eyes were, and that it was plain that simply coming out of his den had tired him. Nonetheless, he stepped up to Badgerclaw and regarded the younger tom with a steady gaze.

"I want a patrol to go to the mountains," growled Badgerclaw. "Find Granitekit. Bring him back. We cannot let the Tribe get away with this!"

Lightningstar's body convulsed oddly; it looked like he had stifled a coughing fit. He raised his head high. "No. This is how Nero–or Shadowfur–wants us to react. If I send a patrol into the mountains to bring your son back, I am sentencing that patrol to death." His gaze, though bleary with illness, drilled into Badgerclaw. "I'm sorry, Badgerclaw. Truly I am. But if cats go to the mountains, they will die, assuredly. Such a thing will only hinder us: ThunderClan will lose warriors, and Granitekit will still be among the Tribe." He sighed, then swept his gaze all around camp, his eyes landing on every cat before resting again on Badgerclaw. "Hate me forever if you want, Badgerclaw. Wish a painful death upon me. But you must realize that if we are to survive, defeat the Tribe, then we need to sacrifice Granitekit."

"Excuse me," called a hesitant voice from the top of slope, after Lightningstar finished speaking, "but is this yours?"

Moving as one, the Clan turned to see Pinefur standing self-consciously at the top of the slope, a brindled gray kit huddled beneath her belly, mewling pathetically.

;-;-;-;

_I anticipate the unexpected. That way, I'm not surprised when something supposedly unexpected happens. –_B.E.M.


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N: **Thanks for the reviews, everyone!

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"Pinefur!" cried Sunfire, standing. "What–?"

Cries of surprise and relief were rising from the Clan; Sunfire started up towards her friend, but was nearly bowled over by a flash of heavy gray fur. Badgerclaw shot up the stone slope, startling Pinefur, who stumbled backwards with a yelp. Sunfire watched silently as Badgerclaw, now moving slowly, picked up his son with utmost care. Then, without looking at Pinefur, he turned and stepped down the slope, Granitekit dangling from his jaws.

"Granitekit!" mewled a groggy, confused voice. Nightwhisker was staggering out of Treeshadow's den, her fur disheveled. Something had woken her from the effects of the poppy seeds, and she now struggled against the drug-induced drowsiness as she moved towards her mate and son. Badgerclaw, apparently knowing a she-cat's need to have her kit, set Granitekit down before Nightwhisker. The black queen crouched over her kit protectively.

"Who was it?" she asked. No cat answered, not knowing whether Nightwhisker meant who had taken her kit or who had brought him back.

Pinefur, still at the slope's peak, called down, "The Tribe stole him. I brought him back."

Badgerclaw and Nightwhisker stared up at Pinefur, their eyes brimming with gratitude. Sunfire looked over at Pinefur; the mottled she-cat was nodding slowly, understanding the silence of Granitekit's parents.

"How did you come by him?" growled Hawkclaw aggressively, baring his teeth. "Perhaps _you _stole him in the first place!"

"And then she brought him back after less than a day?" retorted Sunfire hotly. Icestorm laid his tail on her shoulder, either to comfort or give warning–or both.

Lightningstar waved his tail for silence. "I think we'd all like to know–" he paused to sneeze, "–how Pinefur came by Granitekit." He beckoned with his tail. "Come, good warrior," he said to Pinefur. "You will not be harmed here." As Pinefur slunk down the slope, looking quite uncomfortable under the watchful eyes of the Clan, Sunfire saw Treeshadow slip over to Lightningstar and place a bundle of herbs before him.

Pinefur stood uncertainly at the foot of the Hightree, trying to decide whether or not she would be welcome to stand upon it like a Clan leader. After a moment, she sat where she was, wrapped her tail around herself, and began.

"You all know that a few moons ago, Lightningstar graciously allowed me to stay here. You also know that I soon left, feeling that I was endangering your camp by living here, because I felt Nero would come for me." She took a deep breath. "I told Sunfire what I intended to do. Since I believe she is the only one who knows, I will say what I have done." The Clan began shifting towards the Hightree, as though it was a Clan meeting. Sunfire, with Raintail and Icestorm flanking her, looked over at the former Clan cat.

"I knew that there was empty land a bit beyond RiverClan's old territory. I planned to go there–become a loner. I was highly successful. For moons now, I have lived there quietly. I am happy with my new life." She sighed and shuffled her paws. "A small part of the Tribe has recently come to live very near me. That splinter of them alone is about the size of ThunderClan; maybe six cats fewer." Uneasy murmurings rustled through ThunderClan at the prospect of a "small part" being the size of ThunderClan.

"Anyway, if I climbed a certain tree, I was able to see them where they made camp, but they could not see-or scent–me. A few dawns ago, a patrol came back carrying two kits. I was too far away to be certain, but I think the kits were WindClan."

"The kits Breezeflower told me about," hissed Morningcloud.

"Yesterday evening," continued Pinefur, "another patrol came back; they carried another kit. This one," she added, pointing at Granitekit with her nose. "There was a good breeze that evening, so I could smell him–and I recognized the ThunderClan scent." She paused for breath. "I waited until the kits–there were three, with him and the two WindClan–were left relatively unguarded. When I had an opportunity, in between a change of guards, I got down from my tree and snuck over to where they were keeping the kits. They did catch my scent–there was no avoiding that–but only one cat actually came to try and drive me out. I gave him a knock on the head to confuse him, scooped up your kit, and ran here." She said all this as though it was no different from catching a mouse.

Silence greeted the end of her speech. Then Quickriver commented, "It's nice that you brought him back, but did you consider that the Tribe can follow your scent trail here? You've endangered us. Again."

Silence still hung over the camp, tense and uneasy: the pale brown warrior had a point. It was Nightwhisker who spoke up: "Then I suggest we prepare to fight. I will fight to death if they come here. I will not let Granitekit get stolen again."

"Lightningstar?" called Mudspeckle. "Do we form the line?"

Every head turned towards the old leader, who shook his head. "If the Tribe intended to attack us to try and recover Granitekit, they would have come by now. It must not be worth it to them to risk lives and injuries for a single kit." Sunfire, despite the respect she held for Lightningstar, curled her lip; the Tribe would never let themselves be humiliated, much less when a single cat had done the humiliating. Looking around, she saw that most of Clan looked like they were having similar thoughts.

Sensing his Clan's agitation, Lightningstar looked over at Mudspeckle and said, "Organize patrols to sweep the territory. No more than three cats to a group; we should have warriors in camp in case we _are _attacked." With that, he turned to Pinefur and added, "You are welcome to stay or leave as you like." He dipped his head to her. "ThunderClan will long remember your kindness and bravery in returning Granitekit." He then padded unsteadily back under his willow; Sunfire felt a twinge of fear as she heard him give several dry, rasping coughs.

As Mudspeckle began ordering out patrols, Pinefur slunk over to Sunfire, keeping her body low to the ground as though she expected to be assaulted. "Any troubles in the Clan?" she asked when she was close enough.

"None, now that you brought back Granitekit," answered Raintail. The white she-cat bowed her head in respect as Lightningstar had done. Pinefur acknowledged this with an uncomfortable nod, looking sheepish; loners were rarely, if ever, given such a respectful gesture. "So," she said crisply after a moment, "how's Softpaw?"

Pride swelling within her, Sunfire looked over at her apprentice, who sat with Dewpaw. "She's great. Very strong and talented for a cat her age."

"She has a brilliant mentor," said Icestorm softly.

Pinefur nodded in agreement. Sunfire remembered Pinefur had once told her that before Waterstar allied with the Tribe, there had been a kit, a tom, whom Pinefur had wanted to someday mentor.

As though hearing Sunfire's thoughts, Pinefur asked, "Has ThunderClan heard anything about Waterstar?" She said her old leader's name with a grimace.

Sunfire frowned. "No," she said slowly. "She was getting old when the Tribe first showed up," she added. "Is it possible she's dead?"

Pinefur shrugged. "Maybe. I know she only had three lives left when she joined the Tribe; she could've lost them all by now. Old leaders don't hang onto their final lives for long."

Glancing at Lightningstar's den, Sunfire repressed a shiver. It might have been the growing sunlight seeping into the camp, but Sunfire would have sworn on her life that there was a prophetic glint in Pinefur's eyes as she said the latter.

;-;-;-;

Sunfire had forced herself to stay awake throughout the day so as to get in Softpaw's training; by sundown, both mentor and apprentice were dragging. Pinefur, feeling odd about being surrounded by an entire Clan yet hesitant to return to her own territory, accompanied Sunfire and Softpaw on their training session. Near sundown, the loner had decided to leave. Touching Sunfire's nose, she'd said, "Fetch me if you need me. I'll always stand by the Clans."

Now, back at camp after the evening meal, Sunfire wanted nothing more than to groom herself and flop in her nest, but a visit to Treeshadow was required. Softpaw was small, but she was swift, and muscular–half the time she got the better of Sunfire during battle training. A dull ache had crept through Sunfire's ribs and shoulders, areas where Softpaw struck hard and often. _Her name could not be more ironic, _Sunfire thought with affection and a definite wryness.

"Treeshadow?" she called, padding through the twilight shadows towards the fallen tree. She hoped the tabby tom was there; in addition to wanting a poppy seed to ease her soreness, she needed to ask him something that she doubted Rootpaw could answer if her mentor was not there.

A gray-striped head poked out of the tangled branches. "Sunfire? You've never come to my den before. Is anything wrong?" He slipped out of the shelter and into the growing moonlight, his amber eyes inquisitive.

"I want a poppy seed," Sunfire meowed, wincing slightly as she sat down.

Treeshadow stared at her with mock astonishment. "The great warrior Sunfire admits she is in pain?" he mewed teasingly. Without waiting for an answer, he turned back into his den and called over his shoulder, "Training session with Softpaw, I take it?" He came back out, clutching a poppy head in his teeth.

Sunfire nodded. "She really banged up my shoulder today," she admitted. "Which is good, actually–means she'd got good muscle." She gratefully licked up the seeds Treeshadow had shaken out for her.

The medicine cat nodded. "Lightningstar is getting better," he said. "I gave him herbs this morning; they did the trick. He's still breathing a little weakly, but if he stays put in his nest and doesn't exert himself he'll be fine." He yawned, then added, "He had whitecough. Rootpaw and I will have to keep a close eye on him this leaf-bare."

Sunfire nodded, relieved. She knew Lightningstar would someday die, but she wanted to postpone that day for as long as possible. Treeshadow, having nothing more to say, bade her goodnight and started to turn away. Remembering her other purpose for visiting him, Sunfire called, "Wait–I..." she hesitated, unsure of what to say. A strange nervousness fluttered in her belly. "I hope you'll be able to tell me something," she eventually said, stepping over to Treeshadow. He smiled at her gently.

"I've been expecting this visit from you, Sunfire," he meowed. "It would mean great news for the Clan if you _are _expecting kits."

;-;-;-;

_The future is always beginning now_. --Mark Strand, _Reasons for Moving_


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N: **We're very near the finish now; I'm aiming for only two more chapters and an epilogue. I'm planning a sequel, so start thinking about if you want one. I've got a title and (very) basic plot line. Also, I realize the gaps between my updates are pretty bad, but blame my English teacher and her bloody research essay.

;-;-;-;

Moonlight dappled the Gathering island. Silver pools of cold light were spilled across the frozen, frost-coated grass that crunched underpaw. Sunfire's pelt was bleached silver, while Icestorm's white-silver coat glinted with a hard shine. Raintail–and other white cats in attendance–were almost painful to look at, given the harsh glint the moon created.

Softpaw tagged close behind Sunfire, staring around in wonder, her eyes darting from cat to cat, trying to decide what to do. Sunfire felt a strange urge to smile at Softpaw's typical first-Gathering behavior. Rustypaw, usually the more cautious of the two, stepped up to his sister and began nudging her towards a couple ShadowClan apprentices.

"Seen your father yet?" murmured Icestorm, coming up beside her.

"No. He might not be able to risk coming; it'd look suspicious if he disappeared from the mountains every moon."

Icestorm grunted his agreement. Sunfire glanced at him; after much poking and prodding at her flanks and belly, Treeshadow had confirmed that she was carrying kits. She hadn't yet told any cat, even though her visit to Treeshadow had been a quarter-moon ago.

A loud call sounded from the tree where the leaders sat. Sunfire saw Lightningstar's thin frame flanking Hickorystar; the ShadowClan leader's heavy, solid build was in stark contrast to Lightningstar. Sunfire, beckoning to Icestorm with her tail, wove through the throng of cats to the center of the clearing, where Raintail sat with Morningcloud.

Hickorystar began speaking, giving the usual news; he got as far as having a new litter of kits in the Clan when an explosion of snarls came from the far edge of the crowd. Alarmed, Sunfire and several others sat up on their hind legs, turning towards the sound, spines bristling. A calico she-cat form ShadowClan was backing away from the island's edge, spitting.

"What is it?" asked Raintail shrilly, standing on her hind legs and stretching to her full height to try and see.

With a quiver an anger, Sunfire recognized the scent on the mild breeze. "Tribe," she growled. This was the second Gathering in a row in which the Tribe had sought to attack them! Instinctively, the assembled cats formed the defensive line, shielding the apprentices and elders. Sunfire saw Softpaw spit at a WindClan warrior who shouldered her aside.

Snarls were rising from nearly every cat. Craning her neck, Sunfire tried to determine how many had come, but Redflower, a WindClan queen, called out scornfully: "There's only two of them! Two cats came to challenge us at a Gathering!"

Sunfire turned to Icestorm and Raintail. "I'm moving up front," she said, raising her voice over the ripple of mocking mews coming from the cats around them. "Something's going to happen and I want to see for myself. We're too far back to see. Coming?" Without waiting for an answer, she started for the crowd's edge when Lightningstar yowled for silence, his voice deep and authoritative, with no hint of the sickness that had recently hindered him.

"These cats have clearly traveled here for a reason," he called, glancing to where they apparently stood; Sunfire still couldn't see them. "We will let them speak. Are there more of you?" He directed the latter towards the Tribe cats.

A harsh, grainy tom's voice answered, "I will swear on anything you hold sacred that there are no more of us. We come solely to carry a message to the Clans."

Lightningstar bowed his head. "Very well. Speak."

"Only if you all command your_ brave _warriors to stand their ground," spat the tom. Lightningstar promptly complied, as did Reedstar; Hickorystar did as well, though grudgingly.

A she-cat's voice, not nearly as rough, began speaking. "Nero and Shadowfur have agreed that the Clan's refusal to surrender the forest has gone on far too long." Cats started shifting nervously.

"They have a proposal," continued the she-cat. "In a quarter-moon, Nero and Shadowfur are willing to meet the Clans in a final battle–a battle that will determine who stays and who retreats for good."

Some elders and apprentices wailed; Sunfire felt a cold shiver run through her that had nothing to do with the wintry air. Raintail was quivering, and on Sunfire's other side, Icestorm's tail had fluffed up hugely. The moonlight dimmed; Sunfire looked up and saw thick clouds drifting across the moon.

The she-cat continued speaking, clearly enjoying the effect her words had had upon the Clans. "Leaders will bring their Clans north to the mountains in exactly a quarter-moon. If the Clans do not appear...," (she paused dramatically) "...then Nero and Shadowfur will lead us–the entire Tribe–into your camps one by one. We're giving you a fair chance, really. It would do you good to come."

Sunfire slithered between some WindClan she-cats and was just able to see the Tribe cats turn and run swiftly away into the night.

A silence full of fear and hatred filled the clearing; Reedstar broke it."What do we do?" he asked quietly, addressing no cat in particular.

"It's plain, isn't it?" said Lightningstar, looking first at the WindClan leader, then at all the assembled cats. "We accept Shadowfur's challenge. It's all we can do to keep the forest in StarClan's paws." Murmurs of agreement swept through the island. Lightningstar looked at the other leaders. "I suggest we begin preparing now. A quarter-moon is not much time to strengthen all our warriors and apprentices, but it's all we have. We must do as the Tribe cats said: join together for battle."

"But we are separate Clans!" called a ShadowClan warrior. "Only when our ancestors journeyed here so many seasons ago did the Clans join together! It's almost unheard of!"

Sunfire remembered a tale Sorrelflower had told her when she was a kit, and wondered how any cat could possibly forget it. "When the great Firestar lived, the cats who called themselves BloodClan attacked the old forest," she began. All eyes turned towards her, and she then saw a cat she had not seen for so long. Firestar's spirit appeared beside Lightningstar, his green eyes gleaming proudly. His presense encouraged her. "If the Clans had not banded together for that battle, the forest would have been lost to our ancestors, and much would have been different. We might not even be standing here now."

"She's right," said Raintail, and Sunfire felt a rush of affection for her friend. The snow-white she-cat looked around the clearing and raised her voice as she said, "The only way we'll get through this is if we repeat the actions of our ancestors and combine our numbers, our skills. From what we've seen in past moons, the Tribe have cats that are equal in number to the amount of cats in all our Clans combined."

"We can't possibly triumph if each Clan takes on the whole Tribe alone," added a WindClan tom, Lichenfur.

"It is decided, then," said Hickorystar. He looked at both Lightningstar and Reedstar. "In a quarter moon, we each take our best cats to the mountains."

"We should meet together at the edge of WindClan's territory," said Reedstar. "Our land is closest to the mountains, and we will feel stronger if we arrive together."

A new silence hung over the clearing, this time one of new, strong alliance. Sunfire stared at the pale image of Firestar, still standing on the Great Tree. He somehow looked nervous and confident at the same time.

Sunfire swallowed hard. A small fire began to burn within her, an urge to start running for the mountains now, to conquer the Tribe for good.

The leaders bid farewell to each other, exchanging wishes of luck. As she waited for Lightningstar, Sunfire turned to look at Icestorm. He had his gaze fixed upon the night sky, his white-silver pelt gleaming in what little moonlight shone through the clouds. All at once, Sunfire knew she had to tell him of their kits. Of all cats, Icestorm had the most right to know, being the father.

Sunfire looked at the Great Tree again, only to see that Firestar had vanished. _StarClan, _she thought, staring hard at the spot he had stood in moments ago, _I trust that you will do everything in your power to keep the forest in your paws._

Her only response was the thick, large snowflakes that began to drift down from the clouds.

;-;-;-;

Lightningstar led a very subdued ThunderClan back to camp. Some cats were talking in low voices about the battle; others took their minds off the imminent fight by saying how pretty the snow was, and others of the prey shortage that would be caused by the white covering.

Sunfire had one thing on her mind: getting Icestorm alone. If she dragged him away now to tell him, Raintail would be sure to miss them. Making up her mind, she stepped aside from the Clan and beckoned to Icestorm with her tail. He looked at her curiously, but said nothing as he dropped back and stood quietly in the shadows until the Clan had disappeared down the slope.

"What is it?" he asked softly, his velvet-blue eyes searching hers.

Sunfire shifted; she watched the snow fall for a few moments, then turned to her mate. "I don't want to beat around the bush," she said, meeting his gaze squarely. She took a deep breath, suddenly nervous of what his reaction would be. "I'm expecting kits."

His eyes widened until they were impossibly round. He gaped for a moment, then said stupidly, "Kits? Mine?"

Sunfire huffed out a laugh that was mostly exasperation. "No, Icestorm, Shadowfur's. Honestly, of _course_ they're yours!"

He stared at her for a dozen heartbeats. Then he laughed quietly in amazement. "Kits," he said softly. He repeated the word more quietly, his gaze fixed on a rock that was acquiring a blanket of snow. The he turned to her, eyes blazing with excitement and fear. "When?" he demanded.

Sunfire felt the same way he did: frightened, elated, and somehow still disbelieving. "Not sure. Treeshadow thinks a moon and a half, maybe a little more."

He nodded slowly, then stepped closer to her and wound himself around her, purring deeply. Suddenly he stopped and looked at her. "The battle," he said softly. "You can't afford to fight. Not now. The kits might be harmed."

Sunfire curled a lip and said hotly, "You can't expect me to stay in camp and wash my tail while the rest of you go and fight for the survival of the forest!"

He pulled away from her, his muscles tensing. "I just don't want you hurt," he said. His voice was calm yet hard. "What if you die? Then the kits die too."

"I won't die!" she hissed. Why was he doing this–getting protective and treating her like she was a new apprentice? She could fight for herself! "The Tribe couldn't kill me when I was a seven-moon-old kit—do you think they'll be able to kill me now? I've survived every fight we've been in with them!"

He stared at her, his eyes never leaving hers. Snow was clinging to his pelt and eyelashes, and his eyes burned with a dark light. Sunfire saw fear there–fear for her. After nearly a minute he sighed, relaxing his taught muscles, but keeping his gaze locked on hers. "You're not going to give in, are you." He intoned no question, but Sunfire felt compelled to answer anyway.

"Icestorm, I'm going to fight and I won't say I'm sorry, because I'm not. StarClan won't allow me to die, not when I'm carrying kits." _At least I certainly hope so. _

Her words had the desired effect; he looked comforted at that and pressed himself against her again. As one, they started over to the slope. Sunfire had an ultimate goal to accomplish in the battle: she wanted to be the one to strike down Nero, no matter how many Tribe–or possibly even Clan–cats would try and stop her.

;-;-;-;

_No day, no night, no moment_

_Can hold me back from trying _–Enya, _Book of Days_


	30. Chapter 30

;-;-;-;

Snow fell on and off for six days, eventually reaching nearly up to Sunfire's shoulder. Paths had been plowed all around the camp, tunnels in the snow leading to the separate dens, the fresh-kill pile, and up the slope.

It was almost like any other leaf-bare the forest had endured: prey was scarce yet the Clans were not starving; cats huddled in their dens when not patrolling or hunting rather than sitting outside; cats slunk over to Treeshadow and Rootpaw's den, nursing cracked paw pads; the cats assigned to guard duty sat close together for warmth, hunched against the cold. It _would _have been any other leaf-bare, save for the heavy knowledge of the coming battle that hung over the Clans.

Sunfire, Darkcloud, Badgerclaw, and Quickriver spent nearly all their time perfecting their apprentice's fighting moves. Treeshadow and Rootpaw took turns nosing around the forest for winter herbs and berries and treating cats that limped over to their den with bloody, split paw pads.

Sunfire, when she was not training Softpaw or eating, worried about Lightningstar. He'd just recovered from his abrupt bout of whitecough, yet he spent his time wandering around camp with Mudspeckle. Sunfire wanted to bite some sense into her leader; he was old, and though he would not admit it, he was becoming frail, and if he kept up his routine of standing in the frigid snow all day the sickness would come back.

"He's strong," Icestorm assured her after she was finished training Softpaw for the day. "He'll lead us into battle, and he'll come out alive."

Sunfire, though grateful for his comforting presence, could not make herself believe his words. "He's going to die sometime, Icestorm. The odds are against him."

Raintail moaned softly: "Can we _please _try to keep just a _little _optimism? Conversations of impending death and doom is not what any of us needs the day before the battle."

Sunfire snorted lightly yet squirmed; though Lightningstar had named courage as one of her traits during her warrior ceremony, thinking about the coming battle made her feel sick and anxious. _Perhaps because the entire forest is at stake this time. It wasn't before. Not really. All the other fights with the Tribe were just border fights, almost insignificant... _

A sudden commotion from outside made her raise her head. Many voices were talking at once, excited and questioning. Raintail had popped up at the sound of the voices; already she was starting out of the den. Sunfire followed her, Icestorm on her tail.

A group of cats stood at the bottom of the slope. The hunting patrol had returned, and each cat was talking, trying to get the attention of someone in the center of the circle they had formed. Sunfire felt excitement loop through her like lightning as she caught a blessedly familiar scent.

"It's Pinefur!" exclaimed Raintail. Other cats were streaming out of their dens now. Lightningstar scrabbled up the Hightree and called for silence.

"Who is our visitor?" he asked. The patrol fanned out, stepping away from Pinefur. Unable to stop herself, Sunfire bounded forward to greet her.

"Why are you here?" she asked, touching her nose to Pinefur's. "Did the Tribe—?"

"We'd all like to know why she's here," growled Hawkclaw. He stepped up to Sunfire, his dark eyes burning. "She's not welcome."

Sunfire felt fury rush through her. For moons, Hawkclaw had been quiet. He had stayed away from her and her friends, keeping to himself, speaking only when he had to. She'd stopped paying him much mind, sometimes even forgetting he was part of ThunderClan. But hearing him say that refreshed the hatred she had so long nursed for him. _You murdered my mother!_

"Lightningstar has said she's permitted here," she snarled, unsheathing her claws. "You have not succeeded him as leader. His laws still hold." _Attack me, Hawkclaw, just do it, so the Clan can see your murderous streak. _StarClan, she'd even forgotten her oath to avenge the deaths of Roseleaf and Orangestripe! _StarClan forgive me, I've had so much on my mind for moons..._

"Sunfire, correct as you are, I must ask you to calm yourself. We cannot have infighting, especially with the battle tomorrow." Seething, Sunfire glanced up at her leader, then bowed her head and stepped away from Hawkclaw, heeding his warning tone.

"Now. Why have you come?" asked Lightningstar calmly, looking at Pinefur.

Pinefur turned her head up to face him. "You remember I said that a small branch of the Tribe is living near my territory? I heard them discussing the battle; they were leaving, going back to the mountains. I wanted to come and offer my fighting skills, to aid the forest in this final battle."

"Your offer is accepted," said Lightningstar. "You have ThunderClan's most sincere thanks. We need every friend we can get in this fight."

Pinefur nodded. "I am no longer a Clan cat, nor will I ever be again, but I will fight to keep the forest in StarClan's paws." Appreiciative murmurs issued from the Clan. Pinefur shyly dipped her head in acknowledgement.

"We need to depart for WindClan's land tonight," said Lightningstar once the camp was quiet. "Now, in fact. It will be nearly sundown when we reach them. We will spend the night with them, then rise to face the Tribe at dawn."

"Couldn't you have given us more warning?" It was Yellowflower who spoke, her voice an odd mixture of accusing and dismayed.

"I told the Clan when we were leaving days ago," said Lightningstar. "This should not seem sudden or unexpected."

Sunfire privately thought that despite the warnings Lightningstar had dished out, every cat was surprised to actually hear him say the words. Every cat was coming, Sunfire knew, except for the elders, and Nightwhisker and Granitekit. Sunfire admired the bravery required of the black queen to stay in camp alone with her kit, not knowing the fate of ThunderClan.

Lightningstar jumped down from the Hightree. "Come," he said, waving his tail. "We must all be brave. All the Clans are united in this. We cannot fail if we fight together."

Pressing close to Icestorm, Raintail, and Pinefur, and giving Softpaw a reassuring lick when she hurried over, Sunfire prayed her beloved leader was right. She saw Treeshadow and Rootpaw bearing bundles of herbs in their mouths, standing as close together as she and her friends did.

Moving as one, ThunderClan started up the slope. Sunfire craned her neck, looking at Lightningstar's black-and-white fur._ Oh, Lightningstar, you cannot die. I don't know life without you._

;-;-;-;

ShadowClan had already joined WindClan at the edge of their territory. Lightningstar greeted the other two leaders formally, then told his Clan to rest, to be ready to fight come dawn.

Sunfire found it impossible to sleep. Icestorm, Raintail, and Pinefur sat with the Clans, but Sunfire sat away from the mass of cats. She needed to be alone, at least for now.

"Sunfire?"

She turned. Softpaw had come up behind her in complete silence. "What's up, Softpaw? Scared?"

"I don't know," answered her apprentice. "I don't really feel anything, actually. I'm just numb."

"Well, I'm proud of you," said Sunfire truthfully, looking down at Softpaw. "You're not acting like a scared kit. You're acting like a seasoned warrior."

"I wish I was going into the battle as a warrior," muttered Softpaw, looking out over the moor and gazing at the mountains. Reedstar was right: WindClan was more or less right up against the Tribe's home, at least when compared to the other Clans. "But I'm too young. No apprentice ever gained their warrior name after only two moons of training."

Sunfire could sympathize with Softpaw; she remembered feeling the same way when she was younger. "Even if you're not entering the battle with a warrior name," said Sunfire quietly, wrapping her tail around Softpaw, "you're entering the battle with a warrior's courage and spirit."

Softpaw looked up at Sunfire with such gratitude Sunfire felt like weeping. She'd never really realized how much Softpaw looked up to her, strived to be like her. "Get some sleep," Sunfire said, swallowing hard. "You'll need it. And you _will_ be a warrior after this battle; I promise."

;-;-;-;

Dawn came brittle and silent, like the world was holding its breath. Sunfire had joined her friends after sending Softpaw off to sleep, and was glad she had: even pressed against the others' warmth, the snow had nearly frozen her. Though three separate Clans were gathered, they were all mingled, encouraging each other.

As if acting on a previous arrangement, Lightningstar, Reedstar, and Hickorystar all stood together, their deputies beside them. Treeshadow and Rootpaw stood with the other medicine cats. All the warriors stood in one massive group, and all the apprentices stood together. Softpaw was flanked by Dewpaw and Fogpaw; Sunfire was touched to see the latter press his cheek against Softpaw's.

The Clans sat in near silence, waiting for some unknown signal. The fear Sunfire had felt the night before had vanished; now she felt as though a flame burned within her, a bright, unyielding light that lent her strength for the battle ahead. Icestorm sat with his head raised, his fur glinting in the almost-light. He turned his head and looked directly at her, his deep blue eyes burning with determination and love.

When the sun rose above the mountains, its fiery light glinting off the snow, Lightningstar pointed towards the mountains with his tail. A great mass could be seen moving, a huge dark shape coming down the mountainside and moving towards the Clans.

"The Tribe is coming," said Lightningstar, his deep, noble voice carrying over the snow-coated moor. "Let us go and meet them, and fight them with all the power of StarClan."

;-;-;-;

_In the silence just before the dawn_

_The shadows lose their form_

_We rise to greet the morning_

_In the calm that comes before the storm. _–Moody Blues, _River of Endless Love_


	31. Chapter 31

**A/N: **So here we are at last...the final battle. Only the epilogue left. And the sequel, of course. And thanks for reviews, as always.

;-;-;-;

Sunfire felt like a lifetime had passed before the Clans and the Tribe stopped about ten fox-lengths away from each other. She had felt nothing as Lightningstar led the Clans towards the Tribe–even though Hickorystar and Reedstar were also there, Lightningstar had walked ahead of them, becoming the sole leader of the mass of Clan cats, which seemed right, somehow. Now that she was facing the whole Tribe up close, though, she felt everything tenfold: Icestorm's and Raintail's pelts brushing hers, the ice collected between her toes, the frozen clumps of snow clinging to her belly and legs, the pitiful warmth given off by the sun. Nero and Shadowfur stepped forward, twin pools of darkness against the glacial snow.

Lightningstar padded forward to greet them, and Reedstar and Hickorystar moved to either side of him. The sudden wave of bravery Sunfire had felt upon waking strengthened: despite the age-old instinct to back away from so many enemies facing her at once, she wordlessly left Icestorm, Raintail, and Pinefur and silently wove through the other cats until she stood beside Mudspeckle, directly behind Lightningstar. _This is where I belong, behind my leader._

"I hoped it wouldn't come to this, Lightningstar," called Nero, her voice raspy and shrill, painful to the ear.

"Don't talk rot," snarled Hickorystar before Lightningstar could respond. "You've always wanted a full-scale battle." Sunfire, her gaze drifting over the Tribe in an attempt to guess how many were arrayed, felt the smallest glimmer of happiness as she saw her father. They locked eyes; Alexander tilted his head sideways, indicating a sleek black she-cat Sunfire recognized as Ravenwing, the former RiverClan deputy. _What's he trying to say?_

Shadowfur said nothing, merely stared coldly at Lightningstar. Beside him, Nero slid her eyes over the line of leaders until she saw Sunfire. As she met the fox's eyes, hatred burst up inside Sunfire like cold flame. Unconsciously, she unsheathed her claws and remembered the promise she'd made to herself: she would be the one to strike the fox down.

"Let's not delay any longer," said Shadowfur, his voice icy. He flicked his raised tail. On that silent signal, the Tribe began to move forward, running for the Clans. Nero moved the quickest, bounding forward in long, fluid leaps. Lightningstar reacted a heartbeat later; waving his tail, he leaped forward to meet the Tribe. Sunfire, along with every other Clan cat, surged to greet the flood of mountain cats rushing towards them.

Sunfire bunched her muscles and pushed off the ground in a huge leap just as Nero did; a sun-colored streak and a flying shadow crashed together in mid-air, then fell to the ground. Their momentum sent them tumbling, pushing aside other pairs of warring cats. Sunfire, disoriented due to the force with which she had hit Nero and dizzied further by their roll, struggled to get on top of the fox when they stopped rolling. Nero, with her greater mass and weight, pinned Sunfire down.

Panic surged through Sunfire. She was pinioned on her back, her belly exposed, the still-growing kits in danger. Lightningstar's teachings overrode her fear, though, and she forced herself to remain still, staying in the surrendering position.

The trick worked. Nero let loose one of her laugh-barks and, keeping Sunfire restrained, howled scornfully, "You're already giving up! A pity," she added, her eyes smoldering as she stared at Sunfire. "I imagine you'd have wanted you last fight to be a struggle, one in which you _nearly _succeeded before you died."

As she spat out the last word, Nero reared up, releasing Sunfire, preparing to crash down on the warrior's neck. Sunfire forced herself to keep still until the last possible second. When Nero's belly was a whisker-length above her, Sunfire drew her hind legs up to her chest and kicked with every ounce of strength she could muster.

Nero flew away from her, her jaws agape in a silent howl of shock, as she fell back down to earth. Sunfire jumped to her feet, adrenalin coursing through her, ready for the fox to turn and run back at her, only...

...only Nero didn't get to her feet after hitting the ground. When her midnight-colored body hit the ground, a sickening snap reached Sunfire's ears above the deafening noise of the battle. Nero lay still, her jaws still gaping, her eyes dead, all the fury and hatred gone.

Curiosity driving her, Sunfire dodged a WindClan tom locked in a fight with a Tribe cat and bounded over to Nero's body. Moving cautiously despite that she knew the fox was dead, Sunfire peered at Nero's neck. It was bent at a grotesque angle, bloodied bone jutting up through the dense black fur. Nero's neck had struck a jagged rock, concealed beneath the layer of snow.

Nero, the living shadow, the fox Sunfire had expected to fight until the stars plummeted from the sky, was dead–and Sunfire had only kicked her. Feeling a grim satisfaction, Sunfire was given a fresh wave of strength and courage, and with a snarl, leapt into the heart of the fray.

Softpaw fought with Dewpaw and Fogpaw, three apprentices combining their strength to beat back a massive bracken-pelted she-cat. Knowing they needed no help, Sunfire looked left and saw Pinefur struggling to fight two Tribe cats at once. Sunfire moved to help her friend, pushing one of the cats aside to fight herself. It was a calico she-cat. Using a trick Icestorm had taught her, Sunfire began striking the cat repeatedly over the head, making it dizzy and confused until it tried to run and tripped over her own paws. Foxtooth, the ShadowClan deputy, took over then.

Sunfire took a moment to scan the clearing and felt a wave of dismay. The Tribe, with their much greater numbers, were already winning. _StarClan, this can't be your will..._

She payed for letting her attention lapse. She screamed with pain as needle-sharp claws raked down her neck and shoulder, drawing a stream of blood. Turning, she saw a Tribe she-cat crouching before her, her forepaws stained with Sunfire's blood. Growling low, Sunfire mirrored the crouch, and swiped at the she-cat's face. Spitting, the she-cat threw herself at Sunfire and landed on her back. Trying to ignore the many pinpoints of hot pain as the cat dug all her claws into her spine, Sunfire dropped to the ground like a deadweight, and rolled onto her back, flattening the Tribe cat. The Tribe cat, however, was obviously powerful for her small size, and pushed Sunfire off her with a kick. Sunfire regained her feet quickly, seeing her own blood dotting the snow at her feet. As the she-cat rushed her, preparing to jump again, a gray-tailed white cat knocked her over. Raintail sank her teeth into the Tribe cat's throat. Satisfied that Raintail was in control, Sunfire turned to see if any cats needed help.

What she saw froze her like the ice and snow never could.

Lightningstar fought a huge, muscular Tribe tom. Sunfire guessed that the Tribe cat thought that Lightningstar–and old, thin cat–would be easy to kill. Sunfire's beloved leader was proving him wrong; despite his age and recent illness, Lightningstar matched the strength of the Tribe tom.

But that was not what frightened her.

Hawkclaw hid in the shadow cast by a nearby rock, his eyes glinting. As Sunfire watched, unable to move, Hawkclaw leapt out from behind the rock and bowled the Tribe cat away. Lightningstar turned to face his warrior, apparently meaning to thank him. Lifting one lip in a sneer, Hawkclaw raised a forepaw, all his claws fully extended. In a lightning-quick flash, he brought his paw down on Lightningstar's skull.

Sunfire became oblivious: she did not feel the pain of her wounds, the ice collected between her toes, her own blood running down her flanks; did not hear the yowls of pain and fury of the Clans and Tribe; and saw nothing but Lightningstar's black-and-white body crumple to the snow. Hawkclaw looked at his work, then turned and fled.

Sunfire tore after him, trying to find him and meaning to kill him, but he disappeared into the mass of fighting cats. Standing still, breathless, dripping blood, and hurting, Sunfire stared around helplessly, her mind numb. Dimly, she saw Alexander jump onto a boulder that towered high above the battle. Taking a great breath, he bellowed out one word that turned the tide of the battle: "NOW!"

Ravenwing heard his signal and repeated it, screaming it with all her might. Other RiverClan cats took up the cry, repeating it until every former RiverClan cat heard it. Sunfire watched, amazed, as the cats who once made up RiverClan ceased fighting against the Clans and began fighting alongside them, beating back the Tribe. Shaking herself hard, blocking Lightningstar out of her mind, Sunfire watched the Tribe cats tear themselves away from the Clans, fleeing back up the mountains. Sunfire saw Shadowfur among them, his tail fluffed out like a raccoon's.

The battle ended so suddenly every cat seemed confused. Then one cat started to yowl in triumph, and the cry was taken up by all the others, save for a few too breathless to cheer. Sunfire saw Softpaw standing beside Fogpaw, her head raised, her throat pulsing as she picked up the cry.

Sunfire would have joined them, her Clanmates and other Clan cats, but one thing had happened that prevented her from being able to share their joy at winning. She glanced up in time to see the last few Tribe cats disappear over a ridge in the mountains. As they did, the Clans' cry of victory faded slowly. Medicine cats began racing among the crowd, herding the seriously wounded off to the side for treatment.

Sunfire turned away and stepped over to Lightningstar's body. A small flame of hope was kindled inside her as she saw his bloodstained flanks still moved faintly.

"Lightningstar?" she croaked, her voice harsh and dry. He flicked an ear but did not move. "Lightningstar!" she nudged his cheek. Slowly, he cracked open a brilliant yellow eye.

"Sunfire," he whispered. He tried to raise his head. "I'm glad it's you who found me."

She wanted to weep. Her legs were weak, watery, and she trembled in an effort to stay standing. "You'll live," she whispered. "I'll go get–,"

"Get nobody." Despite his condition, noble authority was still strong in his voice. "It's too late," Lightningstar continued. "I have fought my last battle. Now I go to rest with StarClan."

Sunfire's vision swam. She teetered for a moment, then collapsed onto the snow beside him. She buried her face in his cheek. "No," she whimpered into his fur. She found the strength to raise her head. "Lightningstar, no, you're our leader..."

"Mudspeckle must lead ThunderClan now." His voice grew quieter until Sunfire could hardly hear it. She heard pawsteps and knew somebody had seen her and was coming over. "Let me go, Sunfire," he whispered. "We will meet again. I am proud to have been your mentor." He sighed his last breath and murmured, "Farewell."

Sunfire shook violently. The pain of Lightningstar's death surged through her. It subsided, only to be replaced by cold fury. Hawkclaw had done this! She raised a forepaw, extended her claws, and slashed the snow, imagining it was Hawkclaw's pelt.

A comforting scent washed over her. Icestorm stood beside her. He nudged her to her feet. Sunfire looked at him, and saw her own face, contorted with pain, reflected in his eyes. "He's dead," she said, surprised at how strong her voice was. She looked at Lightningstar. "Hawkclaw killed him."

She expected her mate to deny such a thing could have happened, but he said softly, "I know. I saw it happen. I tried to catch Hawkclaw, but he got away too fast." He sighed heavily. "He's gone. I think he fled with the Tribe. He knows he was seen." He began washing the blood off her fur in long, slow strokes of his tongue. "Come on," he said. "You need to get cleaned up."

"But Lightningstar..."

"We'll hold vigil for him."

The image of her dead leader stayed in Sunfire's mind as Icestorm guided her over to Treeshadow and Rootpaw.

;-;-;-;

"We gather here this sundown to mourn the loss of two great cats: Lightningstar and Waterdrip." Treeshadow's voice rang through the ThunderClan camp, thick with grief. "Lightningstar was a great leader for many seasons. He was devoted to his Clan, and never stopped fighting to keep it alive, even in the darkest of times." He paused, then continued. "Waterdrip was a beloved she-cat, mother of three kits, mate to Jaywing. Her duties for ThunderClan will not be soon forgotten." He took a deep breath. "StarClan receive their spirits with honor."

Icestorm pressed against Sunfire, and on her other side Raintail was trembling, but Sunfire sat still. It caused her unimaginable pain to know that Lightningstar would never again call from the Hightree or slip out of his den in the morning, to know that he was dead and no longer leader. Yet she was comforted by the knowledge that his spirit now rested with StarClan, his body no longer in pain as he watched over the Clan he had died for.

As ThunderClan moved to share tongues with Lightningstar and Waterdrip for the final time, Sunfire looked at the darkening sky and saw the first star appear. Sighing shakily, she walked to stand over Lightningstar's body, washed clean of blood. She pushed her muzzle into his cold fur and promised softly, "I will avenge your death."

The single star twinkled in the velvet-blue sky.

;-;-;-;

Even though it was not full moon, the Clans arranged a Gathering two nights later. Mudspeckle, who had not yet received his name and nine lives, stood on the great tree with Reedstar, Hickorystar, and Ravenwing.

"I was deputy when Waterstar joined with the Tribe," Ravenwing was saying. "Now that she is dead, I am leader of RiverClan by StarClan's law. We will need time to get our strength back, but do not think we are weak. We will still defend our territory like we never left it." The Gathering island looked strangely full now that RiverClan was present once more.

Mudspeckle stepped forward. "Lightningstar was lost to ThunderClan," he announced. Raw pain stabbed at Sunfire's heart at his words. "I am now leader, but have not yet received my nine lives or name. I will have both by tomorrow night." He paused. "We give our everlasting thanks to Pinefur and Alexander. Without them, many things would be different in the forest right now. We might not even be standing here." Pinefur and Alexander stood beneath the great tree. Sunfire, feeling a rush of warmth, yowled in appreciation. One by one, all the Clans added their voices.

;-;-;-;

The night Mudspeckle went to become ThunderClan's official leader, Sunfire dreamed.

She sat by the lake, but the forest was in full greenleaf, not leaf-bare. The stars reflected in the crisp, smooth surface of the lake. Suddenly a cat appeared in the middle of the lake. Slowly, he walked across the water and joined Sunfire at the shore.

Lightningstar sat beside her. His pelt was thick, unmarred by blood or scars, and his eyes bright and joyful. Sunfire smiled as she saw her leader returned to his youth, yet when he spoke, in was in his same wise old voice.

"I am glad to see you are not wallowing in grief," he said softly. "You realize that I am well and happy. That is good." He paused. "I must be quick. Mudspeckle is fast approaching, and I must receive him when he joins us." He licked a forepaw, then said, "I have looked into the future and I have seen your kits." Sunfire's heart leapt. Her flanks were already rounding out slightly.

"What of my kits?" she demanded excitedly.

"They will be powerful warriors. They will bring honor to their Clan." With that, he bowed his head to her, like a leader acknowledging a leader, and vanished.

Sunfire woke and saw it was almost moonhigh. The stars glinted brightly, points of crystal in an onyx sky. She sighed softly and burrowed closer to Icestorm and Raintail. She would be ready to face the morning when it came.

;-;-;-;

_Every summer sun_

_Ever winter evening_

_Every spring to come_

_Every autumn leaving_

_You don't need a reason_

_Let it all go on and on._ –Enya, _Wild Child_

;-;-;-;

**A/N: **Epilogue will be up very shortly. Reviews are much loved, as always.


	32. Chapter 32

**A/N: **Allow me to take this moment to say...thank you. All of you. Whether you read this from the start or tuned in in later chapters, your reviews have really kept me going. Your praise, and the fact that you all kept reading until the very end...well, I honestly cannot express my gratitude clearly enough.

It'll take me a little while to get the first bits of the sequel up, and again...

Thank you.

;-;-;-;

Sunfire lay in the nursery, her back to the entrance, wrapped in drowsiness and a contentment she had never known before. She was grateful that Nightwhisker had taken Granitekit over to see the elders; at two and a half moons, Granitekit was typically loud and nosy, shoving his muzzle into everything he could, and Sunfire needed the peace.

Rootpaw stood blocking the nursery entrance. She-cat instinct told her that Sunfire needed quiet for a little while, and she had assigned herself the duty of keeping other cats out after she assured Sunfire her kits were healthy.

Sunfire yawned, gaping her jaws wide, and shifted deeper into her mossy bed. She heard excited and curious voices from outside, and rolled her eyes. She tiled her head backwards to look at Rootpaw.

"Tell Icestorm he can come in now," she said. "If we don't let him in soon he'll tear through the brambles to get in."

Rootpaw purred softly. "If you want, I can ask somebody to stand guard and make sure no one disturbs you."

Sunfire nodded. "That would be great."

Rootpaw returned the respectful nod and slipped out of the nursery. Heartbeats later, Icestorm squeezed in, his tail bushed out hugely. He stepped quietly over to crouch beside Sunfire. He peered over her shoulder to see the three tiny kits nestled against her belly. He purred softly and nuzzled her, shifting position and wrapping himself around her.

"Three," he said wonderingly. "And they're all healthy?"

Sunfire returned his purr and leaned her head against his shoulder. "Rootpaw says they're fine." She paused. "They need names." She tilted her head to meet his gaze. "I was thinking of calling the tom Firekit." With a forepaw, she nudged the biggest kit, who had the same golden-red pelt as she, only slightly darker.

He nodded. "After his ancestor," he murmured, referring to Firestar. He flicked his whiskers at the two she-cats. "And his sisters?"

Sunfire regarded them. One had the same pelt as Icestorm: medium-long white fur tipped with silver. There was one difference, though: unlike her father, the kit had a dusting of dark gray fur along her flanks and forehead. The third kit was a deep black, with a golden throat, chest, and underbelly. All three kneaded Sunfire's belly hungrily, generating more milk as quickly as they could. Tiny, high-pitched purrs emanated from them.

"She's the color of a frozen stream," murmured Icestorm, reaching over Sunfire's body with one forepaw and tenderly prodding the silvery kit. "All silver and gray, like ice and snow." He pulled his paw back After a pause in which the only sounds were the kits' purring and suckling, he suggested, "Frozenkit?"

Sunfire gave a short purr and nodded. She shifted her eyes over to the third kit, who had ceased nursing and was falling asleep, resting her head on Firekit's shoulder. As she stared at her second daughter, Sunfire noted vaguely that the gold fur, when compared to the surrounding deep black, looked like flickers of light breaking through the darkness.

"Flickerkit," she said, softly but with conviction. Icestorm nodded slowly, his whiskers mingling with hers.

A short silence followed, broken only by occasional voices coming from the camp. Icestorm mewed, "Raintail and Softsteps had to go on the evening patrol, but they said they'd drop in when they got back.."

Sunfire nodded, pride at her former apprentice washing over her. Sunfire had continued mentoring as long as Treeshadow had allowed her; he did indeed watch her every day, finally telling her that she needed to move into the nursery. Icestorm had taken over her training, but after only three quarter-moons Mudstar held a warrior ceremony, naming Softpaw Softsteps and making Rustypaw Rustystripe. Dewpaw and Fogpaw had yet to gain their names, but Sunfire knew their ceremony would be soon.

Sunfire sighed, long and quiet, as she rested her chin on her forepaws, smiling at the heap of kits, now sleeping together. Icestorm breathed out a sigh of his own, resting his chin on her neck. As she fell asleep, Sunfire dimly felt the presences of Lightningstar and Firestar watching nearby. In the back of her mind, she knew reality would come back into play eventually, but right now it seemed that nothing could shatter the serenity that hung over ThunderClan.

;-;-;-;

_Love is a symbol of eternity. It wipes out all sense of time, all memory of a beginning and all fear of an end. –_Anonymous

;-;-;-;

_Fin._


End file.
